The Ministry of Public Health said that it lacks sufficient resources to properly identify and care for AIDS patients during an event commemorating World AIDS Day, which was on December 1st.
According to this ministry’s figures, so far, more than 3,000 people, including women and children, have infected with AIDS in the country.
“3,200 HIV cases have been recorded in Afghanistan, of which 75% are men and 25% are women,” said Habibullah Akhundzada, deputy of the Ministry of Public Health.
“We attempt to provide information, diagnose those who are affected, and treat them,” said Bismillah, director of the infectious diseases department of the ministry.
Meanwhile, the officials of the World Health Organization in Afghanistan said that they are working on a plan to eradicate this illness in the world by 2030.
“The World AIDS day is giving us an opportunity to reaffirm and refocus our shared commitment to end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030,” said Mohammad Akhtar, head of the CDC and NDC department of WHO in Afghanistan.
Some AIDS patients urged others to follow the health advice in order to avoid getting the illness.
“Dentists who pull people’s teeth should know to test their blood before pulling their teeth,” said Abdul Wasi, a patient.
“Some friends with whom I was in contact from three to five of us were using a syringe … I was told that I had such virus in your body,” said Mohammad Idris, a patient.
More than 38 million people worldwide are affected with AIDS, and more than a million of them are children, according to World Health Organization (WHO) figures.—Tolonews
