AIDs on the rise in Sri Lanka

Suraj A Bandara

The spread of sexually transmitted diseases and AIDS is on the rise in Sri Lanka, National Program for Prevention of Sexually Transmitted Diseases and AIDS (NPPSTD) sources said.

An average of two HIV positive persons are diagnosed in Sri Lanka every week.

That is a clear evidence that Sri Lanka is more exposed to the spread of HIV, the sources said.

It is reported that every year around 350 HIV positive cases are diagnosed in Sri Lanka. The prevention programs on sexually related diseases should be revamped and more awareness programs are needed, NPPSTD sources said.

Recent surveys have shown that there are around 41,000 sex workers in Sri Lanka and they generally associate three persons a day.

The spread of sexually transmitted diseases mainly takes place through unprotected sex with these sex workers.

According to the survey, 95 percent of AIDS patients in Sri Lanka have acquired the disease due to unsafe sexual behavior.