DHAKA, Dec 1, 2019 (BSS) – Health and Family Welfare minister Zahid
Maleaque today said ‘Human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired
immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS)’ testing services would be available in
the country by 2020 aimed at screening the virus at the early stage.
“The government would make the HIV/AIDS testing services available across
the country by 2020 while most of the people with HIV are unaware about their
infection. The only way to determine a person’s HIV status is for them to
have an HIV test. Early diagnosis and treatment can help people not to
transmit the virus to others,” he said.
The minister said this while speaking as the chief guest at a discussion
to mark ‘The World AIDs Day’ today at Krishibid Institution Bangladesh (KIB)
in the city’s Farmgate area, said a press release.
“The risk of the deadly disease, AIDS, is still prevailing in the country
due to geographical location, unawareness, uncontrolled behavior of the
vulnerable section of the people and fallacy among the people,” he said.
Zahid called upon all for maintaining the conventional, religious, social
and family discipline to control or prevent the HIV. The government is
committed to bring down the rate of HIV into zero percent from the current
less than 0.01 percent by 2030, he added.
Director General of Health Services Dr Abul Kalam Azad presided over the
programme while Secretary of the ministry M Asadul Islam, HIV focal person
and Additional Secretary Rina Parveen, UNFPA Bangladesh representative Dr Asa
Torkelsson, WHO country representative Dr Mia Sapal spoke, among others.