KABUL (SW): Ferozuddin Feroz, Minster for Public Health has said that 1800 cases of HIV positive patients have been registered across the country out of which 1400 cases affected men, 327 cases affected women and 66 have affected children.
Speaking at the International AIDS Day seminar, the Minister said that compared to other countries the number of HIV infected individuals in Afghanistan is meagre. It is said that 36 million people suffer from HIV virus across the world.
He said that there was a possible increase in the number of people affected by the disease each day.
He added that homosexuality and the use of drugs through injection were the main causes increasing HIV in Afghanistan.
He however, said that to prevent the spread of HIV, the MoPH was considering specific programs.
Edris, one of the patients who suffers from HIV, speaking at the session, urged people not to belittle and insult him. He said that he has not committed a crime and he is only a patient.
Elsewhere in Heart province, International Counter Narcotics Day was celebrated where doctors reported that 195 individuals suffer from the HIV virus out of whom 175 were men, 16 women, and 6 children.
Eman Chankai, World Health Organization’s representative, said at the session that nearly 1.5 million people lose their lives to AIDS each year worldwide. She said that according to some reports, individuals who suffer from HIV virus have been rare in Afghanistan but the quality of services should increase for them anyway.
AIDs is transmitted through infected blood, infected injection, homosexuality, unhealthy medical tools etc.
The symptoms include weight loss, diarrhea and constant coughing.
ENDS
