Brief abstract

HIV/AIDS awareness activity has been ongoing in Nepal for almost fifteen years. Even so, Nepal still faces a serious challenge in HIV and STD prevention as new evidence shows the disease moving from the commercial sex workers to new groups, including migrant workers, male clients of sex workers, and housewives.

FSWs in Kathmandu studied to find HIV, Syphilis rates

This study, conducted in 2001, was carried out among female sex workers in the Kathmandu Valley to determine the prevalence of HIV and syphilis, and also to examine behavioral attitudes related to sexually transmitted disease. A total of 500 female sex workers (300 street-based and 200 non-street-based) were included in the study.

Surveys show high HIV rate for street-based FSWs

There is significant difference of HIV and active syphilis prevalence among street-based and non-street-based sex workers.

For street-based female sex workers:

• HIV prevalence was 15.7%.
• Active syphilis rate was 14.3%.
• At least 10% were in age group below 19.
• HIV prevalence was 12.6% in Kathmandu, 16.7% in Lalitpur, and 15.4% in Bhaktapur among sex workers who reported the use of condoms during their last sex act; the rate was 22.9% in Kathmandu and 18.8% among those who did not use condom.

For non-street-based female sex workers:

• HIV prevalence was 2.5%.
• Active syphilis prevalence 3.5%.
• At least 20% of sex workers are below 19 years old. 
• HIV prevalence of 1.4% in Kathmandu and 4.8% in Lalitpur was noted among those who reported the use of condoms during the last sex act; the rate jumps to 6.7% in Kathmandu among those sex workers who did not use condom.

Overall, sex workers seeking clients in a bhatti have more clients compared to other groups. A bhatti is a traditional liquor store, which sells alcohol for drinking on the premises or as a take out product. Some of the bhatti may have rooms for sexual activity.

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