Awareness a must to prevent HIV in country

Three years ago in 2020, a total of 658 people were diagnosed with AIDS patients in the country. Now, there are about 9,708 HIV patients in the country. Among them, 6,075 patients are receiving treatment.

Although the number of patients is increasing every year, the campaign to prevent HIV is less. Government hospitals are providing medicines to HIV patients at free of costs, free HIV diagnosis service and other prevention services. “If we take more steps to increase awareness, it will be possible to prevent HIV in the country”, expert say,

According to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), there is an obligation to eliminate HIV or AIDS from the country by 2030. But only 63 percent of patients have been diagnosed so far. However, according to the first condition of the SDGs, there was an obligation to diagnose about 95 percent of HIV-positive patients by this time. The government is working under the guidance of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to achieve the target.

Sources in the Ministry of Health say the second strategy of the United Nations is known as 95-95-95 to achieve this target. First, 95 percent of HIV patients should be identified by 2030. Secondly, all these patients should be brought under treatment. Third, as there is no perfect treatment for HIV patients, so virus in blood levels of 95 percent patients should be kept under control.

According to the government’s AIDS/STD Control Program, only 63 percent of cases have been diagnosed   against the initial target of 95 percent. The achievement against the second target is 76 per cent. Success against the third target is 93 percent.

HIV test and other medical services are being provided by several hospitals or NGO clinics in country’s 23 districts. Experts opine that services should be expanded across the country.

Director of the Directorate General of Health Services (STD, AIDS) Dr. Shah Mohammad Jasim Uddin said earlier there were HIV infections in 23 districts, so activities were conducted there on a priority basis. The program will be conducted in 64 districts from next July.

He said, “The number of tests has increased, so the number of patients may increase slightly this year.  Our logistics delivery has remained normal. There is no shortage of medicines. We are optimistic that by 2030 we will be able to achieve the target”.

According to the National AIDS/STD Control Program, data on HIV cases are being collected every year from public and private institutions in the country. It has been found that people who are returning from Middle East countries and Rohingya people who are living in various camps in Cox's Bazar are being infected more.

Experts say everyone is required HIV test before traveling to the Middle East countries. But HIV test is not mandatory after someone returns from the countries. As a result, there remains concern about this. Organizations working on HIV say that social movements must be strengthened in order to save ourselves, society and humanity from AIDS. For this, along with individual awareness, the relevant government and non-governmental organizations have to play an important role in keeping our homeland free from all kinds of diseases.