Friday, December 03, 2004
'Nothing helps spread of HIV than silence''
Thursday, December 02, 2004
This year more young female HIV victims were reported from around the world including Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka records 246 female HIV infected cases with an overall record of 591 cases and 174 AIDS patients including 12 infants. 129 people had died from AIDS with an estimated number of 4000 to 8000 infected cases suspected to be in Sri Lanka.
Health Minister Nimal Siripala De Silva speaking at the World AIDS day conference held at Viharamaha Devi park yesterday guaranteed to increase the amount of antiretroviral (ARV) treatment provided for AIDS infected patients in the country and pledged to provide recently developed medication to prevent from mother to child transmission of HIV virus.
According to Minister Silva the government is providing AVR treatment to nearly 120 patients including the patients at AIDS ward at Angoda Fever Hospital.
The Minister in his speech called for an attitude change on female reproductive health and female rights to ask for a better reproductive environment.
"Raising awareness, providing universal ARV treatment and improvement of health sector services would not help until a strong attitude change is made on HIV/AIDS and use of protection against it," he said.
UNAIDS Sri Lankan representative, Dr. Todd Chaiban insisted that nothing helped spread of HIV than silence.
He insisted on strong marriage, inheritance and criminal laws, which would in turn strengthen the position of a woman within a family giving her a right to demand protection from HIV/AIDS infection.
"Gender inequality, domestic violence and prostitution still continue to be stigmatised subjects jeopardizing the safety of women," he said.
This year more young female HIV victims were reported from around the world including Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka records 246 female HIV infected cases with an overall record of 591 cases and 174 AIDS patients including 12 infants. 129 people had died from AIDS with an estimated number of 4000 to 8000 infected cases suspected to be in Sri Lanka.
Health Minister Nimal Siripala De Silva speaking at the World AIDS day conference held at Viharamaha Devi park yesterday guaranteed to increase the amount of antiretroviral (ARV) treatment provided for AIDS infected patients in the country and pledged to provide recently developed medication to prevent from mother to child transmission of HIV virus.
According to Minister Silva the government is providing AVR treatment to nearly 120 patients including the patients at AIDS ward at Angoda Fever Hospital.
The Minister in his speech called for an attitude change on female reproductive health and female rights to ask for a better reproductive environment.
"Raising awareness, providing universal ARV treatment and improvement of health sector services would not help until a strong attitude change is made on HIV/AIDS and use of protection against it," he said.
UNAIDS Sri Lankan representative, Dr. Todd Chaiban insisted that nothing helped spread of HIV than silence.
He insisted on strong marriage, inheritance and criminal laws, which would in turn strengthen the position of a woman within a family giving her a right to demand protection from HIV/AIDS infection.
"Gender inequality, domestic violence and prostitution still continue to be stigmatised subjects jeopardizing the safety of women," he said.
