Sharp drop in HIV and AIDS cases in Anuradhapura

By Dayaratne Embogama

Colombo, June 27 (Daily Mirror) - Health authorities in the Anuradhapura District have expressed satisfaction about the sharp decline in positive cases of HIV and AIDS reported from the district.

The Chief Medical Officer of Anuradhapura Sexual Health Services Centre Dr. Ajith Karavita told the meeting of the AIDS Prevention Committee yesterday that only four HIV positive patients had been reported for the first six months of the year, as against 21 patients reported last year.

He said most of the HIV infected are males and that 155 patients have been reported from the district from 2023 to date, and that 97 per cent of them have been under treatment.

A Medical Officer of the Sexual Health Services Centre Dr. Hema Weerakoon said more than 12,500 blood tests had been carried out over the last year to identify the HIV positive cases. She said 150,000 condoms had been distributed free for the last year and that it has been increased to 500,000.

Deputy Director of Health Services, Dr. Dhammika De Silva said the spread of the disease has been successfully brought under control through public awareness programmes and blood tests.

Medical Officer of the Sexual Health Services Centre Dr. Nuwanthi Wijesundara, and several civil society representatives were present at the occasion.