ID :
36386
Thu, 12/18/2008 - 23:01
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/36386
The shortlink copeid
AIDS INFECTION IN M`SIA HAS DROPPED BY HALF SINCE 2003
KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 18 (Bernama) -- The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
infection rate in the country has dropped by half since 2003, Najib
Razak said Thursday.
The deputy prime minsiter said the number of recorded Acquired Immune
Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) cases had dropped from 6,756 in 2003 to 3,452 this
year.
"We found that, based on the National Strategic Plan on AIDS, more
concerted
and focused efforts had contributed to the drop in the number of HIV infections
annually," he said after chairing the meeting of the Cabinet Committee on AIDS
here.
Among the major contributors to the decrease in the number of cases was the
the Harm Reduction Programme which would be continued to achieve the goverment's
goal of 11 cases per 100,000 population by 2015 compared with 12.8 cases per
100,000 population now, he said.
"Cumulatively, there are 83,527 HIV cases so far and of this, 14,317 are
AIDS cases of which 12,425 people have died," he said, adding that AIDS still
posed a serious threat to the country.
"According to statitics of the United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS
(UNAIDS), Malaysia is categorised as a country with concentrated
epidemic...meaning in certain, high risk groups. There are phenomena that can be
related to concentrated epidemic," he said.
However, the UNAIDS recognised Malaysia's efforts in fighting AIDS by
according it the status of country with high political will, he said.
Najib said today's meeting also focused on high risk groups whereby the
Health Minsitry would adopt the approach of getting close to these groups in
efforts to reduce the number of AIDS cases.
He also expressed concern over the increase in HIV infections among women
who contract the disease through normal sex, saying that their numbers rose from
5.02 per cent in 1997 to 16.3 per cent last year.
He also said that the Malaysian Islamic Department (Jakim) should play a
more aggressive role to help reduce the number of HIV infections through drug
addiction.
He said the meeting also proposed that the Malaysian AIDS Foundation be
made
a part of the Cabinet Committee on AIDS. Currently the council is a member of
the technical committee chaired by the health Director-general.
-- BERNAMA
infection rate in the country has dropped by half since 2003, Najib
Razak said Thursday.
The deputy prime minsiter said the number of recorded Acquired Immune
Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) cases had dropped from 6,756 in 2003 to 3,452 this
year.
"We found that, based on the National Strategic Plan on AIDS, more
concerted
and focused efforts had contributed to the drop in the number of HIV infections
annually," he said after chairing the meeting of the Cabinet Committee on AIDS
here.
Among the major contributors to the decrease in the number of cases was the
the Harm Reduction Programme which would be continued to achieve the goverment's
goal of 11 cases per 100,000 population by 2015 compared with 12.8 cases per
100,000 population now, he said.
"Cumulatively, there are 83,527 HIV cases so far and of this, 14,317 are
AIDS cases of which 12,425 people have died," he said, adding that AIDS still
posed a serious threat to the country.
"According to statitics of the United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS
(UNAIDS), Malaysia is categorised as a country with concentrated
epidemic...meaning in certain, high risk groups. There are phenomena that can be
related to concentrated epidemic," he said.
However, the UNAIDS recognised Malaysia's efforts in fighting AIDS by
according it the status of country with high political will, he said.
Najib said today's meeting also focused on high risk groups whereby the
Health Minsitry would adopt the approach of getting close to these groups in
efforts to reduce the number of AIDS cases.
He also expressed concern over the increase in HIV infections among women
who contract the disease through normal sex, saying that their numbers rose from
5.02 per cent in 1997 to 16.3 per cent last year.
He also said that the Malaysian Islamic Department (Jakim) should play a
more aggressive role to help reduce the number of HIV infections through drug
addiction.
He said the meeting also proposed that the Malaysian AIDS Foundation be
made
a part of the Cabinet Committee on AIDS. Currently the council is a member of
the technical committee chaired by the health Director-general.
-- BERNAMA
