At the conclusion of his first mission to Viet Nam, UNICEF/ UNAIDS Goodwill Ambassador Jackie Chan called for an end to discrimination and stigma towards children and families infected or affected with HIV/AIDS.
“I may be a movie hero, but the real heroes are the people I’ve met in Viet Nam, among them, grandparents, mothers and wives, and many young people and children, who are showing real courage in dealing with living with HIV/AIDS and who must be supported much more,” said the action film superstar, during his 22-25 April mission.
An estimated 215,000 people in Viet Nam are already infected with HIV/AIDS and every day between 40 to 120 people, the majority under the age of 29, are being infected.
Jackie Chan travelled to Quang Ninh Province, north east of Hanoi, which has the highest HIV prevalence rate in the country. At an “empathy club” meeting – support group for people living with HIV/AIDS – Chan heard how stigma and discrimination continue to inflict pain and alienation and also hamper efforts to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS. He listened attentively to a 10-year old girl who had lost both her grandparents and father to AIDS and who was regularly shunned by school friends, and a mother sharing her anguish at not being able to afford to cremate her husband in his home town.
With many people continuing to associate HIV with negative stereotypes of drug addicts, prostitutes and “bad behavior”, the world famous actor’s visit sent a powerful message that no one is immune from the disease and more must be done to foster care and support within communities and society at large.
“Jackie Chan’s visit has been enormously popular. Clearly he is an important role model, for young and old alike, and his visit has done much to accelerate Viet Nam’s fight to help combat the disease, said Anne Attard, Officer in Charge of UNICEF, who accompanied the actor on his visit. “It is important that we build from Jackie Chan’s visit and continue to strengthen our prevention and advocacy efforts”
While In Quang Ninh, Chan also toured the first-ever antenatal clinic that will soon provide regular counseling, testing and information on the prevention of mother-to-child-transmission (PMTCT) of HIV.
Back in Hanoi, the charismatic actor, who was appointed a Goodwill Ambassador on a mission to Cambodia in April 2004, joined monks from Phap Van Pagoda and witnessed how they too are fully involved in the fight against HIV/AIDS. He joined in a meditation session with the monks and many of the 100 “Lotus Club” members, made up of people living with HIV and their families. They come several times a month to benefit from spiritual counseling, information and food.
The pagoda is part of the Buddhist Leadership Initiative which started in 2002 with support from UNICEF. It is now active in anti-HIV/AIDS networks within the sub region including Thailand, Cambodia, Lao PDR, southern China, Myanmar and Viet Nam.