Kurunegala Teaching Hospital’s Consultant STD specialist, Dr. Chithran Hathurusinghe said 1,327 AIDS patients have been reported in the country in 2023 after checking donated blood samples.
Dr. Hathurusinghe said while participating in the North Western Province AIDS Prevention Programme organized on the occasion of the National AIDS Prevention Day.
Dr. Hathurusinghe commenting further said the prevalence of AIDS in the country has increased by 27 percent in 2023.
“It is very unfortunate that young people between the ages of 15 to 29 years are affected by this disease. Since 2003, the spread of HIV AIDS has been gradually increasing. 1,327 such infected persons have been identified from donated blood samples alone.
“We have identified a method to eliminate this disease by 2030. If we detect the disease in the first instance, we are able to refer about 95 percent of these patients for treatment. We can be successful if 95 percent of these patients can reduce the disease virus to zero.
However, we are at the limit of 82 percent in identifying such patients, as of now.
“Not only people infected with AIDS but also victims of social diseases such as syphilis have been discovered during blood donation activities.
“As medical professionals, no matter how hard we try to prevent these diseases, it is of no use unless we get the necessary political support for it. Political support is necessary for such a programme to be successful,”she said.
National STD and AIDS Prevention Programme Director Specialist Dr.Vindya Kumarapeli also spoke on this occasion.
Directors of Kuliapitiya, Chilaw Hospitals, STD Specialists, Probation and Child Protection Department Officers, Medical Officers of Health, Community Medical Specialists, top-ranked Police Officers, Regional Education Directors and other senior officers of the Education Division, including officers of voluntary organizations working on AIDS prevention activities and a large number of people attended this event.
(Daily News)
(This story, originally published by Daily News has not been edited by SLM staff)
