Half Million Citizens Are HIV/Aids Positive – Health Official

23 June 2011

Luanda — Half a million of the people in Angola are living with HIV/AIDS virus, said the executive secretary of AIDS Network Association (ANASO), António Coelho.

Speaking Thursday to Angop on the ongoing situation of HIV/AIDS in the country, the secretary said 57,000, of the above mentioned figure, have benefited from the tests, through public and nongovernmental organisations (NGOs).

In its turn, only 35,000 people are receiving medical treatment of anti-retroviral, a number still considered to low.

According to the source, the prevalence rate in the country is estimated at 2.1. The number is found in the results of the studies conducted in pregnant women during pre-natal consultations.

These facts are accounted for poverty and illiteracy, said the António Coelho, who also called for the creation of necessary conditions to meet with efficiency the demand from the provinces bordering with those whose prevalence rate is too high, such as Cabinda, Kuando Kubango and Lunda Norte and Lunda Sul.

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