Afghanistan Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) has informed of challenges in treatment of patients infected with AIDS in the country.
In a conference held the other day on the occasion of marking the World AIDS Day, officials of the country’s ministry of public health said that they were facing with lack of sufficient resources in connection with identification and treatment of patients infected with AIDS.
According to the ministry’s data, so far, 3,200 people, including women and children, have infected with AIDS in the country.
“3,200 HIV cases have been registered in Afghanistan, of which 75% are men and 25% are women,” said Habibullah Akhundzada, deputy minister of public health.
Meanwhile, head of the ministry’s infectious disease department said that the ministry was working to provide information, diagnose those infected with HIV, and treat them.
“We’re working to somehow provide information, diagnose those that have been affected and treat them,” said Dr. Bismillah Nijrabi, head of the infectious diseases department of the ministry.
Meanwhile, the officials of the World Health Organization in Afghanistan said that they are working on a plan to eradicate the respective infectious disease in the world by 2030.
According to officials of the country’s ministry of public health, lack of standardized facilities is the main challenges facing the ministry of public health. They said that they were working to fight the disease, raise the public awareness and build capacity of medics in the country.
Each year, on 1 December, the world commemorates World AIDS Day. People around the world unite to show support for people living with HIV and to remember those who have died from AIDS related illnesses.
Each World AIDS Day focuses on a specific theme, which this year was Equalize. UNAIDS is urging each of us to address the inequalities which are holding back progress in ending AIDS. This year’s theme joins a growing list of challenges that World AIDS Day has alerted people to globally.
Founded in 1988, World AIDS Day was the first ever international day for global health. Every year, United Nations agencies, governments and civil society join together to campaign around specific themes related to HIV. World AIDS Day remains as relevant today as it’s always been, reminding people and governments that HIV has not gone away.
There is still a critical need for increased funding for the AIDS response, to increase awareness of the impact of HIV on people’s lives, to end stigma and discrimination and to improve the quality of life of people living with HIV.
Saida Ahmadi
Challenges facing MoPH in treatment of patients with HIV in Afghanistan
