Nearly 200 AIDS Cases Reported in Afghanistan This Year

(Sunday, December 1) marks World AIDS Day.

The Ministry of Public Health reported that approximately 200 positive cases of this disease have been recorded in Afghanistan during the current solar year.

Sharafat Zaman Amarkhil, spokesperson for the ministry, stated that there are eight treatment centers and 61 diagnostic centers for this disease across the country.

He said: “Among the 200 positive cases recorded with us this year, one reason is the lack of treatment centers in some areas. Now, these patients have been provided with care, and more services have been made available to the public.”

Meanwhile, the head of the AIDS treatment department at the Afghan-Japan Communicable Disease Hospital reported that 1,555 patients have been registered with them, including 116 new cases since the beginning of this year.

Mohammad Khan Hedayat, a staff member at the hospital, also called on doctors and health aid organizations to collaborate in treating other illnesses of those affected by AIDS.

He added: “In total, 1,555 patients are registered with us. Over the past eight and a half to nine months, 116 new patients have been registered this year. Our patients face significant challenges in undergoing surgeries. We request the government and partner organizations to support us and our patients in this area.”

This year, the World Health Organization (WHO) observed World AIDS Day under the theme, “Take the Rights Path: My Health, My Right!” 

WHO reported that in 2023, around 39.9 million people worldwide were living with HIV/AIDS, approximately 630,000 people lost their lives due to the disease, and about 1.3 million people contracted HIV.