Joe Thomas

Dr Joe Thomas is one of the leading social commentators on HIV and AIDS in Asia Pacific region. He has contributed towards HIV-AIDS related program and policy developments in Australia, India, Indonesia, East Timor, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, China, Hong Kong, Mongolia and Rwanda.

He has served as the HIV-AIDS Advisor to the Ministry of Health in East Timor, served as a technical advisor to the World Health Organization (WHO) and as the regional manager of the Northern Territory AIDS and Hepatitis Council in Darwin, Australia.

For the last eight years he has edited two popular e-forums. AIDS INDIA and AIDS ASIA e FORUM: http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/AIDS-INDIA; and http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/AIDS_ASIA.

Dr Thomas is the founding co-convenor of the largest Asia regional multi sectoral alliance for HIV response. Asian People’s Alliance for Combating HIV-AIDS (APACHA). He is the author of the two books and has published several articles in peer-reviewed journals.

As an Indian immigrant living and working in Australia, Dr Thomas is acutely aware of the vulnerabilities of migrant and other marginalised population groups and its implications on their health and wellbeing. He is at the forefront of fighting stigma, discrimination, racial and other intolerances.

He is the founding Director of the International Centre for Health Equity Inc. based in Melbourne. Australia.

Author's website: Asian People’s Alliance for Combating HIV and AIDS