Blame it on the Man

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It is estimated that around 4,000 people were living with HIV as at end 2007. By the end of 2008, 1,059 cases were reported

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Almost 60 per cent females in Sri Lanka have acquired HIV from their spouse. The balance are those working abroad as housemaids, Healthcare and Nutrition Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva said.

“Since the main mode of HIV transmission is through unprotected sexual intercourse, the main thrust of Government programs is preventing HIV infection among populations at risk. programs are also launched for other vulnerable groups such as plantation and transport workers,” the Minister said.

Minister de Silva was speaking at a Parliamentary seminar on HIV in Kathmandu, Nepal last week.

Sri Lanka is among the few countries which has recorded a low HIV prevalence rate.

During the last two and a half decades, measures taken to curtail the spread of HIV throughout the country has resulted in the low prevalence rate of less than 0.1 per cent. It is estimated that around 4,000 people were living with HIV as at end 2007. By the end of 2008, 1,059 cases were reported, he said.

“The blood safety program in existence since 1988 with donor counselling and screening of donated blood has helped to keep the blood free of HIV infection”, Minister de Silva said.

The National STD/AIDS Control Program has developed a National Strategic Plan 2007-2011 to face the challenging position.

It has identified two core and four supporting strategies to achieve the national goal of maintaining the current low prevalence of HIV among most at risk groups with behaviour change interventions and promoting behaviour development among youth and other lesser vulnerable groups.

Expanding voluntary counselling and testing, condom promotion, comprehensive management of sexually transmitted infections, prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV infection, provision of antiretroviral and management of opportunistic infections, would help avert an epidemic, he said.