Says health minister
Two hundred and thirty-one people were diagnosed with AIDS while 37 of them died in last one year in the country, Health Minister AFM Ruhal Haque has said.
He said 343 HIV positive patients were diagnosed last year taking the total number of the affected to 2,088. The total number of AIDS patients in the country now stands at 850, he added.
The minister was speaking at a seminar yesterday organised by the National AIDS-STD Program (NASP) of the health ministry at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC) in the capital marking the World AIDS Day.
AKM Amir Hossain, additional secretary of the ministry, chaired the seminar.
The minister highlighted various government efforts to prevent the deadly disease including adopting the national policy on HIV/AIDS and sexual diseases approved in 1997, and setting up of 146 safe blood transfusion centres across the country.
Led by Mojibur Rahman Fakir, state minister for health and family welfare, the health ministry also brought out a procession at Manik Mia Avenue to create mass awareness.
STD/AIDS Network of Bangladesh also brought out a procession in the capital and organised an exhibition at the BICC premises to create public awareness. The World Vision arranged a blood donation programme.
In 2009, 143 people were diagnosed with the deadly disease and 39 died across the country. At least 241 died since 1989 when the first AIDS patient in the country was diagnosed.
Marking the day, Bangladesh Labour Welfare Foundation and Bangladesh Occupational Safety, Health and Environment Foundation jointly brought out a procession that stretched from Russel Square to BICC premises.
Nari Unnayan Shakti (NUS), which is funded by the government, held different programmes in 31 places of the country. They organised discussions, video shows, cultural programmes and counseling, says a NUS press release.
State Minister Mojibur Rahman Fakir, Acting Director General of the Directorate General of Health Services Prof Khandakar Shefayet Ullah, president of Bangladesh Medical Association Prof Sharfuddin Ahmed, UNFPA Bangladesh representative Arthur Erken, Executive Director of Ashar Alo Society Habiba Akhter and Deputy Programme Manager of NASP Dr Hassan Mahmud, also spoke at the seminar.
