On 13 November 2023, Mrs. Arunee Hiam, Deputy Director-General of Thailand International Cooperation Agency (TICA), together with Ms. Linda McElroy, USAID Asia Deputy Mission Director, presided over the opening ceremony of TICA-USAID’s International Training Course on “Sexually Transmitted Infections Case Management Skills, at Holiday Inn Bangkok Silom, Bangkok, Thailand.” This workshop is one of the activities under the Trilateral Project on International Capacity Building on HIV-related Stigma and Discrimination Reduction and STIs Services in Healthcare Settings and a part of TICA – USAID Strategic Partnership. Dr. Boosbun Chua-intra, Medical Physician, Department of Disease Control, was also present at the event.

The Workshop on “Sexually Transmitted Infections Case Management Skills” is the second activity under the aforementioned project and is being held between 13 – 24 November 2023 in Bangkok and Chonburi Province, Thailand. The aim of this activity is to share knowledge among participating countries to further enhance treatment services and case managenent of STIs in the most efficient manner. This Workshop was attended by 13 healthcare providers and public health practitioners from 6 countries including Camboodia, Bhutan, Timor Leste, Sri Lanka, Lao PDR and Thailand.

On this occasion, Mrs. Arunee Hiam emphasised Thailand’s efforts to reduce new HIV cases through the National Strategy to End HIV/AIDS 2017 – 2030, under which Thailand sets its goal to see no new HIV infections by 2030. Under this backdrop, TICA, together with USAID, aims to promote collaboration by organising this international training to enhance healthcare efficiency through sharing knowledge, experiences, and best practices in the fight against STIs. In addition, Ms. Linda McElroy, USAID Asia Deputy Mission Director, also highlighted that collective efforts among stakeholders are crucial to efficiently address STIs as global challenges. This workshop is a platform that will help promoting collaboration, networking, and capacity buiding of medical practioners that go beyond borders, thereby contributing to HIV-Free world.