Health Minister Dr AFM Ruhul Haque said yesterday that thirty-nine people died from AIDS in the country this year.
"This year 250 people contracted HIV and 143 were diagnosed with AIDS and 1,745 people were infected with the deadly virus-619 of them had AIDS and 204 died for the last twenty years," he told journalists at a press briefing at his ministry marking the World AIDS Day.
The theme of this year is 'Universal Access and Human Rights'.
The Health Minister said the country had its first HIV-infected person in 1989. As much as 14 per cent of the total HIV-infected people in Bangladesh contracted AIDS in 2009.
"Those who inject drugs are infected at a rate of more than five per cent. At some places in Dhaka, the number of HIV-infected has increased," he said.
Dr Modasser Ali, Health and Family Welfare Adviser to the Prime Minister, stressed on working together to prevent AIDS.
He urged the Bangladesh Medical Association (BMA) members to work for the people instead of pursuing their personal interests.
Mujibur Rahman Fakir, State Minister for Health and Sheikh Altaf Ali, Secretary of the ministry, among others, were present on the occasion.
Source: nation.ittefaq.com
