The highest new HIV transmission cases are reported in Yangon, Kachin, northern Shan State and Sagaing, said Union Minister for Health and Sports Dr. Myint Htwe at a ceremony to open the Public Health Department’s HIV/AIDS Eradication Survey Project.

According to the estimation by the AIDS Epidemic Model (AEM), about 227,000 people have been infected with HIV. The HIV prevalence is 0.57 per cent. Especially, the HIV transmission rate among those who inject drug, women sex workers, men who have sex with men, prisoners and the priority populations including migrant workers is the highest. The HIV transmission continues due to the lack of knowledge. The ministry is carrying out knowledge sharing with added momentum, the Union Minister said.  

Thanks to the government’s more budget allotment for HIV prevention and control tasks in the previous seven years and assistance provided by the Global Fund and international social organizations, the ministry distributed lifelong ART to about 40,000 out of more than 200,000 people living with HIV in 2011. In 2017, the ministry gave treatment to more than 146,000 patients with ART, he added.

It needs to think about chronic diseases of patients as the life expectancy of HIV patients is longer.  The ministry needs to be special aware of HIV/TB and HIV/Hepatitis cases as special health problems.