US embassy cable - 04MADRID3835

UNCLAS MADRID 003835 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR OES/IHA, EUR/WE, AND THE OFFICE OF THE 
GLOBAL AIDS COORDINATOR 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SOCI, KHIV, SP 
SUBJECT: MADRID PUBLIC HEALTH TIDBITS 
 
REF: MADRID 3817 
 
1.  Madrid's ESTH Officer periodically groups together and 
reports ESTH developments that might otherwise "fall below 
the reporting bar."  Key issues will continue to be reported 
via "stand alone" cables.  ESTH Officer Ken Forder welcomes 
feedback at forderk@state.gov. 
 
2.  INDEX: 
 
A.  HIV infection rate continues to decline. 
B.  Euthanasia Debate. 
C.  46 percent of Spain's Children Obese or Overweight. 
 
------------------------------------------- 
A.  HIV INFECTION RATE CONTINUES TO DECLINE 
------------------------------------------- 
 
3.  The Health Ministry announced that 2,190 persons were 
diagnosed as carrying the HIV virus in 2003, a 5.2 percent 
decline from the 2,311 new infections reported in 2002. 
Approximately half of the new infections were believed to 
have been caused by drug addicts sharing syringes.  The 
infection rate peaked in 1994 with 7,401 new infections 
diagnosed.  The Health Ministry acknowledged, however, that 
its figures under-report the "real" infection rate, which 
some claim could be as high as approximately 4,000 new 
infections a year.  Perhaps even more alarming, the Ministry 
reported that 60 percent of those diagnosed with AIDS had 
been unaware that they had been carrying the HIV virus.  This 
supports the arguments of those who believe Spain's official 
HIV infection rate underestimates the true gravity of the 
nation's HIV/AIDS situation. 
 
--------------------- 
B.  EUTHANASIA DEBATE 
--------------------- 
 
4.  Vice President Maria Teresa Fernandez de la Vega, Spain's 
number two ranking leader, told a press conference that her 
Socialist Party Government would not/not soon propose the 
legalization of euthanasia, given that it is a "complicated 
and very delicate subject" on which there is "no social 
consensus."  Other PSOE leaders supported de la Vega, but 
indicated that the ruling party would propose that the issue 
be debated in Congress.  Euthanasia in Spain has received 
much attention in the aftermath of an award winning Spanish 
film ("The Sea Within") portraying one man's battle with the 
State for permission to be euthanized.  Article 143 of the 
Spanish Penal Code proscribes punishments of six to ten years 
for persons who assist others to die.  However, the same 
article permits lesser sentences in cases where it was clear 
that the deceased consented and had been suffering from a 
terminal condition.  Many persons within the ruling PSOE and 
some of Spain's smaller leftist parties have long pressed for 
changing Article 143 to decriminalize euthanasia.  De la 
Vega's comments appear to rule that out, at least for now. 
 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
c.  46 PERCENT OF SPAIN'S CHILDREN OBESE OR OVERWEIGHT 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
 
5.  A study released by the "Spanish Society for the Study of 
Obesity" reported that 16 percent of Spanish children between 
the ages of six and 12 suffered from obesity, a five-fold 
increase over the past 20 years.  The obesity rate of 
children in Spain has now reportedly surpassed that of adults 
(14.5 percent).  An additional 30 percent of Spanish children 
were considered overweight.  According to the study, within 
the EU, only the United Kingdom (18 percent) has a higher 
child obesity rate than Spain.  Health Minister Elena Salgado 
was reported to be "very worried" by the results of the 
study. 
ARGYROS