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"Two HIV victims every day in Pahang,
says health official"
The
Star (www.thestar.com.my)
(20/12/05)
AT LEAST two persons in Pahang are infected with the AIDS virus daily.
What is more alarming is the rise in cases amongst youth in the state,
according to State Health, Social Welfare and Orang Asli Affairs Committee
chairman Datuk Ishak Muhammad.
Between 1986 and the end of last year, 7,389 people had been diagnosed with
HIV/AIDS in the state, of which 894 of them had died, he added.
“Our statistics from the health department shows that the trend is on the
rise in the last 18 years.
“Although the accumulated numbers are small, it is still a cause for concern
because most of them are youth.
The situation must be checked, Ishak said after attending a community
programme organised by Nenasi at a government health clinic in Pekan.
Ishak said the majority of victims were intravenous drug addicts who were
released from the six drug rehabilitation centres or Penor Prison.
Out of the figure, 5,745 of them or 87.76% were intravenous drug addicts
while another 523 or 7.99% got the disease through sexual contact, he added.
Ishak said so far, 10 people had been tested positive for HIV when they
underwent optional check-ups before their weddings.
“The optional exercise was introduced in January last year and response was
good.
“Those found to be positive are given counselling and guidance if they chose
to proceed with their plans,” he said.
Ishak said the tests were available for free at any of the government
clinics in the state and the results would be kept confidential.
He urged youth associations and non-governmental organisations to jointly
hold community programmes with the government to educate the people on
HIV/AIDS.
A state-level AIDS Day was held in Dewan Jubli Perak, Kuala Lipis, recently
with the theme “Stop AIDS: Keep The Promise.”
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