Dr. Wiwat  Rojanapithayakorn

Dr. Wiwat Rojanapithayakorn M.D.

Thailand
2009 in Public Health


Dr. Wiwat Rojanapithayakorn, while serving as Director, Office of Communicable Disease Control Region 4 in Ratchaburi, Thailand in 1989, initiated the “100% Condom Use Programme” which has been recognized worldwide as one the most successful HIV/AIDS prevention tools.

The principle of the 100% Condom Use Programme is based on cooperations among all stakeholders, government authorities, provincial governors and officers, healthcare personal and commercial sex business operators. The key success is in empowering the commercial sex workers to refuse service if customers do not use condoms: No Condom – No Sex. This led to effective reduction of HIV infection in commercial sex workers and has proven effective in preventing sexual transmission of HIV in the general public. This programmed was then expanded throughout Thailand. It was crucial for the success in controlling of the spread of HIV infection, resulting in the reduction of new HIV cases from 400,000 cases in 1991 down to less than 14,000 new cases in 2001.

Dr. Wiwat actively advocated this programme in international arena, including Cambodia, Vietnam, Philippines, China, Myanmar, Mongolia and Lao PDR. This work has been recognized around the world. International organizations including the World Health Organization, World Bank, UNAIDS, USAIDS, recognize this the 100% Condom Use programme as one of the most successful HIV prevention tools. It is also one of the successful examples of behavioral change and social empowering in the public. This work has impacts on several hundred millions lives around the world.