KABUL (SW) – There are an estimated 5900 registered HIV positive patients in Afghanistan with 4.4 per cent of them drug addicts.
Mamosi Zewar, deputy minister at the Ministry of Public Health, said this figure has remained within this range for the past decade, which is a big achievement. She noted the number of HIV positive patients among drug addicts is on the rise in rest of the regional countries.
The deputy minister at the MoPH announced up to 28 HIV positive patients lost their lives in the past one year. Mamosi Zewar informed the moot in this connection that the HIV patients are provided treatment at dedicated health centers in Kabul, Nangarhar, Balkh, Kandahar and Kunduz. She said efforts are underway to bring down the rate of addiction in the country.
Head of the National Aid Program, Naqibullah Hamdard, said on the occasion Afghanistan has improved its standing in regard to combating HIV. He said the rate of HIV among common citizens has dropped to 0.01 per cent, 4.4 per cent among drug addicts using syringe, and 0.4 to 0.3 per cent among those under threat of this disease.
Last year, MoPH officials vowed the number of HIV positive patients dropped in the country from 7500 to 5900 due to robust countering measures.
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