Without drugs, HIV patients in Myanmar turn to meditation, herbs

AFP, May 7, 2005

YANGON, Myanmar -- For three years Phyu Phyu Thin has volunteered to work with HIV patients in military-ruled Myanmar, but like many charities, hers is unable to offer life-prolonging drugs.

That has prompted many patients to turn to traditional herbal medicines and Buddhist meditation, which offer some comfort if not a cure.

?Sometimes I feel very sorry for the patients. We can only provide counseling and education. We have no medicines like anti-retroviral drugs,? Phyu Phyu Tin says.

?Our contribution is very limited and that makes me very sad,? she says.

Charities like the one Phyu Phyu Thin volunteers full-time with, which is run by Aung San Suu Kyi?s opposition National League for Democracy, can offer little more than aspirin and multi-vitamins to treat people with HIV.

An estimated 339,000 people were infected with HIV at the end of 2004, according to statistics from the military government?s National AIDS Program (NAP).

In the last three years, the ruling junta has opened up to about 30 international agencies working to fight the disease, but their activities are still limited and most volunteers would speak only on condition of anonymity.

Although Myanmar has one of the highest rates of HIV infection in Asia, estimated at 1.2 percent of the adult population, fears that aid money could be misdirected has left donors reluctant to contribute very heavily to anti-AIDS efforts here.

International agencies working here are reluctant to speak about their activities, citing the military?s restrictions on their work, but so far have only managed to secure financing and government approval for a handful of small treatment schemes.

That has sent many sufferers searching for alternative remedies, sometimes through traditional healers or Buddhist meditation, which volunteers say they know cannot cure the disease but may at least provide some comfort.

In September, Buddhist monks and nuns here started their own outreach program, known as Yadana Myitta that uses the teachings of Buddha to counsel patients and to educate volunteers.

In addition to trying to educate communities about how to avoid HIV, the program also trains volunteers to work at a free clinic and teaches patients how to meditate, which traditionally has been viewed as a means of pain relief by focussing on inner peace, one 21-year-old volunteer says.

?At first, I was nervous about dealing with HIV cases. But that changed after I received the training,? he says.

Christian groups, who make up about four percent of Myanmar?s population, have also started awareness programs.

?The most important thing is educating people ... because at first they might find it difficult to accept someone with HIV,? an officer with the Myanmar Council of Churches says.

?If the leaderships of churches are aware of the reality of the disease, they can help others accept them,? he says.

Some people have turned to traditional cures to try to treat the disease, especially in remote, rural areas, he adds.

Myanmar officially tries to discourage herbal remedies, banning traditional healers from advertising their services, which the military views as quackery.

But in rural areas, healers still search in the forest for plants that they grind or boil into remedies that sometimes are the only affordable medicines available.

But volunteers say the junta?s attitude toward HIV prevention has improved in recent years, after the military spent most of the 1990s in denial about the disease?s rapid spread.

We Need Your Help to Train the
Buddhist AI Chat Bot
NORBU!
(Neural Operator for Responsible Buddhist Understanding)



For Malaysians and Singaporeans, please make your donation to the following account:

Account Name: Bodhi Vision
Account No:. 2122 00000 44661
Bank: RHB

The SWIFT/BIC code for RHB Bank Berhad is: RHBBMYKLXXX
Address: 11-15, Jalan SS 24/11, Taman Megah, 47301 Petaling Jaya, Selangor
Phone: 603-9206 8118

Note: Please indicate your name in the payment slip. Thank you.


Dear Friends in the Dharma,

We seek your generous support to help us train NORBU, the word's first Buddhist AI Chat Bot.

Here are some ways you can contribute to this noble cause:

One-time Donation or Loan: A single contribution, regardless of its size, will go a long way in helping us reach our goal and make the Buddhist LLM a beacon of wisdom for all.

How will your donation / loan be used? Download the NORBU White Paper for details.



For Malaysians and Singaporeans, please make your donation to the following account:

Account Name: Bodhi Vision
Account No:. 2122 00000 44661
Bank: RHB

The SWIFT/BIC code for RHB Bank Berhad is: RHBBMYKLXXX
Address: 11-15, Jalan SS 24/11, Taman Megah, 47301 Petaling Jaya, Selangor
Phone: 603-9206 8118

Note: Please indicate your purpose of payment (loan or donation) in the payment slip. Thank you.

Once payment is banked in, please send the payment slip via email to: editor@buddhistchannel.tv. Your donation/loan will be published and publicly acknowledged on the Buddhist Channel.

Spread the Word: Share this initiative with your friends, family and fellow Dharma enthusiasts. Join "Friends of Norbu" at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/norbuchatbot. Together, we can build a stronger community and create a positive impact on a global scale.

Volunteer: If you possess expertise in AI, natural language processing, Dharma knowledge in terms of Buddhist sutras in various languages or related fields, and wish to lend your skills, please contact us. Your knowledge and passion could be invaluable to our project's success.

Your support is part of a collective effort to preserve and disseminate the profound teachings of Buddhism. By contributing to the NORBU, you become a "virtual Bodhisattva" to make Buddhist wisdom more accessible to seekers worldwide.

Thank you for helping to make NORBU a wise and compassionate Buddhist Chatbot!

May you be blessed with inner peace and wisdom,

With deepest gratitude,

Kooi F. Lim
On behalf of The Buddhist Channel Team


Note: To date, we have received the following contributions for NORBU:
US$ 75 from Gary Gach (Loan)
US$ 50 from Chong Sim Keong
MYR 300 from Wilson Tee
MYR 500 from Lim Yan Pok
MYR 50 from Oon Yeoh
MYR 200 from Ooi Poh Tin
MYR 300 from Lai Swee Pin
MYR 100 from Ong Hooi Sian
MYR 1,000 from Fam Sin Nin
MYR 500 from Oh teik Bin
MYR 300 from Yeoh Ai Guat
MYR 300 from Yong Lily
MYR 50 from Bandar Utama Buddhist Society
MYR 1,000 from Chiam Swee Ann
MYR 1,000 from Lye Veei Chiew
MYR 1,000 from Por Yong Tong
MYR 80 from Lee Wai Yee
MYR 500 from Pek Chee Hen
MYR 300 from Hor Tuck Loon
MYR 1,000 from Wise Payments Malaysia Sdn Bhd
MYR 200 from Teo Yen Hua
MYR 500 from Ng Wee Keat
MYR 10,000 from Chang Quai Hung, Jackie (Loan)
MYR 10,000 from K. C. Lim & Agnes (Loan)
MYR 10,000 from Juin & Jooky Tan (Loan)
MYR 100 from Poh Boon Fong (on behalf of SXI Buddhist Students Society)
MYR 10,000 from Fam Shan-Shan (Loan)
MYR 10,000 from John Fam (Loan)
MYR 500 from Phang Cheng Kar
MYR 100 from Lee Suat Yee
MYR 500 from Teo Chwee Hoon (on behalf of Lai Siow Kee)
MYR 200 from Mak Yuen Chau

We express our deep gratitude for the support and generosity.

If you have any enquiries, please write to: editor@buddhistchannel.tv


TOP