Narinjara News



125 HIV infections this year: the highest record in Arakan

 

Sittwe, October 21: A record number of a 125 HIV infections were recorded in Arakan, in the year 2003-4, according to a health report. However, the number is expected to be much higher, as the recorded infections only come from people who attend the Akyab hospital for a blood test or blood donation.

 

In Arakan state, the number of HIV infections has been rising every year. However, the Health Ministry of Burma has not been able to provide any measures of prevention or any materials, claiming they do not have any funding in the state coffer.

 

In the neighbouring country, Bangladesh, a non-governmental organisation, Paricharja was set up in 1993 to prevent the spread of HIV in Bangladesh. At a conference for prevention of the spread of HIV in Bangladesh on the 11th of October, the president of Paricharja C M Safi Sami said “there has been some progress in the implementing of some preventional measures and Bangladesh must try to prevent HIV spreading from Burma, Nepal, India and Thailand.

 

Though AIDS is the most severe current health threat to human beings, the Burmese Health Ministry has not done anything substantial to prevent the spread of it. A more systematic research would reveal a significantly higher number of HIV infection throughout Burma, an Akyab resident said. In Arakan, instead of educating the infected people to help them with the infection and the disease, the authority gets rid of them.

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