KABUL (SW): Officials in the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) have said that they registered around 6700 HIV-positive cases in ongoing year alone.
Quoting a latest research by the World Health Organization (WHO) at a workshop, officials said that around 1700 people were tested HIV-positive two years ago. This is fourth-fold rise in just two years. Ehsanullah Ehsan, a doctor at the HIV Control Program said that most of the HIV-positive patients were drug users that often re-use a syringe multiple times.
The Ministry has launched an awareness program to prevent the spread of this deadly disease in Afghanistan. Ehsanullah Ehsan added those suffering from the disease often try to hide it but that often make treatment even more complicated and as a result the patient lose chances of survival.
Lack of awareness, negative public perception towards aids patients, easy access to addictive drugs and poverty were named as major reasons behind the surge in HIV patients in Afghanistan. Government estimates suggest more than some 3 million people are drug addicts in Afghanistan.
ENDS
