DHAKA, Dec. 1 (Xinhua) -- At least 42 people in
Bangladesh died of AIDS, 111 others got infected with HIV and 288 found HIV
positive in Bangladesh this year, leading English newspaper The Daily Star
reported on Monday.
Abul Kalam Azad, additional secretary to the health
ministry, said this at a roundtable on "Fighting AIDS and Role of Leadership"
here on Sunday.
"As of last year, 123 people died of AIDS, 365 others
got infected and 1,207 found HIV positive," he said.
Health experts and civil society members at the
roundtable said the prevalence of HIV infection is still lower in Bangladesh
than other countries of the region, but there is nothing to be complacent about
it because there is every element that can turn the situation worse.
They said the drug users and sex workers are the most
risky groups to spread HIV, but the efforts to free youths from drug addiction
and to supply adequate condoms to brothels are not adequate.
They emphasized that the authorities should frame a
pragmatic policy on HIV/AIDS, while the government, NGOs and donors must join
hands to formulate an action plan to create massive awareness, provide care and
support to infected people and reduce the increasing rate of infection by 2015.
The first HIV positive patient in Bangladesh was
identified in 1989.
Chinese premier visits AIDS patients,
workers
HEFEI, Nov. 30
(Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao visited people living with HIV/AIDS and
thanked workers dealing with the disease in the eastern Anhui Province over the
weekend. Full story
Other places in China to commemerate World
AIDS Day
World AIDS Day commemorated
worldwide
