ECONOMYNEXT – “Illegal prostitution” in the guise of spa or wellness centers should be regulated to prevent AIDS and other health issues among Sri Lankan youth, the island nation’s State Tourism Minister Diana Gamage said.
At least 695 new HIV positive people were identified in the country in 2023 and it has seen a 14 percent rise over 2022, the National STD and AIDS Control Programme in Sri Lanka said last month.
Sri Lanka has witnessed mushrooming spas or wellness centers throughout the island nation in the last three years amid an unprecedented economic crisis, tourism officials say.
However, most these spas do not provide wellness service.
State Tourism Minister Gamage said there are around 600 spas in the highly populated Colombo suburb area
“I don’t know how many people go for wellness to these 600 places, just a 50 meter away from each other. We have about 100 spas in a stretch. I don’t know whether I have seen anyone who is interested in wellness going in there,” she told reporters at a media briefing in Colombo.
“Without beating around the bush, we have to be truthful and speak the facts and the fact is those are not spas and they are not wellness centers.”
“Definitely, there should be regulations. If this is the case, if this is exactly what is taking place, if illegal prostitution is taking place, we cannot stop it. We are never going to be able to stop it. It doesn’t matter how hard we try, it is something that cannot be stopped anywhere in the world.”
“The fact is it is going to carry on, but we have to stop the danger when it comes to health issues of the people of the country and specially of the people who are working in these places, they have to make sure they are healthy and they are not with any disease and this needs to be regulated.”
“They should be given medical check up on a monthly basis. Things like this should happen.”
“CAN’T STOP” ILLEGAL PROSTITUTION
The highest number of those infected with HIV have been reported from the Western Province, according to the UNAIDS estimate received. HIV infection happens through three main channels of having unprotected sex, from an infected mother to a child in the womb and the blood of an infected person entering the body of a healthy person.
“I spoke to the health minister as well about it where we have to bring some sort of a rule,” Gamage said.
Prostitution in Sri Lanka is illegal, but data from police-raided spas show it has been taking place many places in Sri Lanka.
“When there is a demand, there is a supply. The demand will remain until the supply is there. If we can’t stop this, what we have to do is, we have to bring regulations for this because this is unhealthy for the people of this country. Not only that, we need to consider the health of the people who are providing services.”
“So, we need to bring medical checkups, they should be medically checked once a month. So these things should be regulated. Otherwise this is a huge disaster.”
“In the recent past, the majority of the people who got AIDS were youth aged between 19-25. This (spa) is one of the reasons for this. If this is not regulated, where will this end? What will happen to the young generation?”
“It is a requirement of the human life. We should supply for that requirement in a healthy way. When we impose regulations, it should be regulated under the laws. I have been talking this continuously in the parliament,” she said. (Colombo/April 29/2024)