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466 nationals HIV positive
DUBAI — Nearly 466 UAE nationals in the country are HIV positive, said the Minister of Health,
Humaid Muhammed Obaid Al Qutami yesterday giving statistics on the disease for the first time ever.
This is the first time that the UAE Ministry of Health has accepted and announced the number of HIV positive or people infected with Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) in the country.
Speaking a Press conference held in Radisson SAS Hotel yesterday on the occasion of World AIDS Day 2006, Al Qutami announced that out of the total 657 infected, 466 are alive in the different parts of the country, while others have died. An HIV positive patient, Tareq, was also introduced to the Press on the occasion.
The minister also announced that the government was working on a law to include HIV positive UAE nationals into the system by offering them jobs in the government sector. “We have offered all our support to the people and this regard, I also announced that Tareq will soon be offered a job in a government department,” said the minister. “This is our way of supporting such people in the country,” he added.
The minister highlighted that the government had put in stringent measures to curb the spread of disease in the country. “We ensure that no HIV infected person enters the country and that’s the reason why we hold medical fitness programmes before someone enters the country. Labourers are also put through the same tests,” he said.
Al Qutami also stressed that the ministry had started conducting awareness and educational programmes in the country.
According to a World Health Organisation report on AIDS in the AGCC presented on the occasion, nearly 700,000 people had contracted the disease in 2004 out of which 28,000 had died. “There is an estimated increase of 92,000 cases annually in the Middle East region,” added Al Qutami.
“AIDS is a big threat to humanity. WHO’s estimates fro 2003 said that about 40 million people in the world were suffering from the disease out of which three million had already died,” explained the minister.
Dr Mariam Mattar, Assistant Undersecretary for Health at MoH said that all pregnant women were also being screened for AIDS. “If the baby is found to be infected, we will start immediate treatment and there is still 40 per cent chance of saving the life of the child,” she added. Also for the first time, over 50,000 information flyers will be circulated in over 10 malls in the emirates starting this weekend.
‘I need to warn youth’
By a staff reporter
DUBAI — Agreeing to come to the forefront and be recognised is among the boldest steps taken by 45-year-old UAE national, Tareq – an HIV positive patient who spoke to the Press about his life as an infected man.
Tareq was working in a government department when he was infected in 2003 after he shared a syringe while doing drugs with one of his friends. “I had no idea that this step of mine would lead to this,” said Tareq, who does not speak English.
“My parents were initially shocked but they are fine now. I am divorced and have an 18 year old son. But no one else from my family is infected,” explained Tareq who is moderately ill.
“Initially I used to take lots of medicine. But now I only visit a doctor to monitor my health because I am better now and my virus levels are so low that I do not need regular medicine,” said Tareq.
“The minister of health has offered me a job. I have no problems socially though I have become more religious,” added Tareq.
“I decided to come to the forefront because I need to warn the youth and educate them more about the perils of the disease,” concluded Tareq.
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