First systematic AIDS survey in SL

Nadira GUNATILLEKE

For the first time in Sri Lanka a complete survey and study on Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) is to be conducted on the instructions of Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena. The main objective of the study is to gather data on STDs, especially HIV/AIDS to uplift facilities and services available for patients, a Health Ministry spokesman said.

According to the spokesman this study will be the first ever complete scientific study on the subject.

There is no accurate data available on STDs in Sri Lanka including HIV/AIDS - only a hypothesis. Therefore it is difficult for the Health Ministry to develop a data base to uplift medical facilities and services available for AIDS patients and others. The data and information available at the moment have no accuracy or reliability.

There are around 40,000 commercial sex workers and 40,000 injected drug users in Sri Lanka at the moment according to this hypothesis. A few years ago it was believed that there were around 5,000 HIV victims, later this figure changed to 3,000 without a valid reason or survey. Various organizations release different statistics to suit their own agendas. Therefore nobody knows the accurate number of HIV positive persons in Sri Lanka at the moment. The number of AIDS patients discovered in Sri Lanka so far is 1,250, he said.

Special attention is to be paid to the HIV positive cases among high risk groups such as commercial sex workers, injected drug users, homosexuals, persons who travelled abroad for employments and tourism in the study.