556 HIV-positive cases reported in 2008: MoPH.KABUL (PAN): Public Health Minister Dr. Muhammad Amen Fatimi on Tuesday inaugurated a first-ever hospital for the HIV/AIDS HIV/AIDS Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome patients in the capital Kabul on Tuesday. The hospital has been constructed with a cost of 110,000 US dollars with the help of the US Agency for International Development (USAID USAID United States Agency for International Development USAID Agencia de los Estados Unidos para el Desarrollo Internacional (Spanish) ). At the end of 2008, National AIDS Control Program (NACP NACP North American Carbon Program (US Carbon Cycle Science Steering Group) NACP National AIDS Control Program NACP National AIDS Coordination Programme (Zimbabwe) ) through its report announced that 556 HIV HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus), either of two closely related retroviruses that invade T-helper lymphocytes and are responsible for AIDS. There are two types of HIV: HIV-1 and HIV-2. HIV-1 is responsible for the vast majority of AIDS in the United States. positive cases have been reported from different sources of information, however, it is estimated that there are 2000-2500 HIV positive cases nationwide, the health ministry said Tuesday. Recently, some studies have revealed HIV prevalence among general population to be 0.5 percent while among Injecting Drug Users (IDUs) it is 3 percent, the ministry said in a statement. The spread of HIV and AIDS is a colossal major challenge in different sectors, such as health, socio-economic and political. Indeed, every country confronts this dire challenge all over the world. In fact, it is increasingly turning into global and regional threat amongst all population, particularly young children and women. However, the prevalence of HIV in Afghanistan is currently considered low, but three decades of war, poverty, illiteracy, massive internal and external displacement, high level of poppy cultivation, trafficking and usage, existence of commercial and unsafe sex, unsafe injection practices and blood transfusion are potential risk factors for its spread. It is a great pleasure for the Ministry of Public Health to run such an important and life saving center for HIV and AIDS affected people. As evident there are around 30 million people living with HIV and AIDS worldwide of which limited number of them have accesses to Anti-Retroviral Therapy, said Dr Sayed Mohammad Amin Fatimie, Minister of Public Health. Fatimi said: "Luckily in Afghanistan there is very low prevalence of HIV and AIDS and the heath official were committed to keep it as such." "Provision of ART on one hand helps us to prevent further spread of HIV in the society and on the other it saves lives of many HIV positive people HIV positive people are people who have the human immunodeficiency virus HIV, the agent of the currently incurable disease AIDS. Over the years of coping with the stigma and discrimination that accompany the diagnosis in most societies, a large number of support groups have , the minister added. Along with MoPH and National AIDS Control Program (NACP) there are lots of national and international organization, and donors such as World Bank, United States Agency for International Development The United States Agency for International Development (or USAID) is the U.S. government organization responsible for most non-military foreign aid. An independent federal agency, it receives overall foreign policy guidance from the U.S. (USAID), UNICEF UNICEF (y  `nĭsĕf'), the United Nations Children's Fund, an affiliated agency of the United Nations. , WHO, Global Fund (GF), UNIFEM UNIFEM United Nations Development Fund for Women , United Nation Office on Drugs and
Crime (UNODC UNODC United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime ), Constella Futures, AFGA, ARCS, Action Aid, Swedish
Committee for Afghanistan (SCA), and so many others are working to
prevent spread of HIV and AIDS within the country.
NACP along with donors, governmental and nongovernmental organization are trying to implement National Strategic Framework within the country. Copyright Pajhwok Afghan News. All rights reserved. Provided by Syndigate.info an Albawaba.com company |
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