HIV On a Dangerous Threshold in Sri Lanka

Lack of awareness among youth on risks of HIV infections needs to be addressed quickly to stem the disease from spreading, the National HIV Strategic Plan Sri Lanka 2013–2017 has warned. Credit: Amantha Perera/IPS. By Amantha PereraCOLOMBO, Feb 2 2014 (IPS) Four thousand HIV infections in a population of 20 million should not be a difficult figure to manage. But experts in Sri Lanka say social customs and strict laws are hindering them from carrying out prevention and awareness campaigns among high-risk groups. Despite impressively low national infection rates, there are signs that the spread of HIV – which can lead to AIDS – has increased among these groups, most of which face ostracism, they say. Sri Lanka, an Indian Ocean island nation, is considered a low HIV prevalence country, according to official statistics. Going by the latest data of the National AIDS Prevention Programme, there are little over 1,800 HIV infected in the country, of which the majority is male, at 1,080.For Sri Lanka’s high-risk groups, time is ticking away. Even if undetected cases were to be factored in, the overall case load is estimated to be around 4,000, Susantha Liyanage, director of the programme, told IPS. Liyanage, however, warned that these low figures could be hiding a much more explosive and complex situation – the risk of an epidemic within high-risk groups. “There is a very real chance that there are higher infection rates among high risk groups. We are alrea...
Source: IPS Inter Press Service - Health - Category: Global & Universal Authors: Tags: Active Citizens Asia-Pacific Civil Society Development & Aid Editors' Choice Featured Headlines Health Human Rights Regional Categories Women's Health AIDS Infection Sri Lanka Source Type: news