AIDS MUST BE PREVENTED
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During 2004 about 4,9 million people became infected with HIV. 210.000 of them are in our region. This exceeds the figure in Western Europe in 10 times and the one in Northern America in 5 times.
”The epidemic in Armenia is now in the 2nd phase of growth”, Samvel Grigoryan, Director of Republican Centre of AIDS Prophylaxis said at the press conference on AIDS Combating Day held in UNO Armenia’s Office.
304 HIV-carriers have been registered in Armenia since 1988 to present day. Under calculation, there are 2800-3000 HIV-carriers in Armenia now. In 2004 53 cases of HIV infection, 17 ones of AIDS contagion and 11 death cases of virus-carriers occurred.
According to Mr. Grigoryan, these are the highest indices in comparison with the previous years. Like all over the world, vast majority of HIV- carriers in Armenia are in the 20-39 age group. About the half of HIV-carriers were found in Yerevan. There are HIV-carriers in all the districts, too
Under the appraisal of UNO Coordinator Liz Grande, if Armenia doesn’t undertake measures for AIDS combating at governmental level, the situation in Armenia will be the same as it is in Russia, Ukraine etc. She thinks emigration is a stimulus for AIDS/HIV spreading in Armenia while Samvel Grigoryan says emigration is not essential any more since the epidemic circulates in the republic independently.
According to statistics, men in Armenia mainly become infected with AIDS/HIV because of drug usage and women in a sexual way.
50 million drams are annually allocated from the state budget for AIDS prevention.
