HIV/AIDS - Healthy body and mindThe first case of HIV/AIDS in Bangladesh was detected in 1989. Since then 1495 cases of HIV/AIDS have been reported (as of December 2008). However UNAIDS estimates that the number of people living with HIV in the country may be as high as 12,000, which is within the range of the low estimate by UNICEF's State of the World's Children Report 2009. The higher levels of HIV infection have been found among injecting drug users (7%
in one part of the capital city, Dhaka1
). Due to the limited access to voluntary counselling and
testing services, very few Bangladeshi's are aware of their HIV status.
Serious health issues like HIV-AIDS is not only a drag on the economy due to the resources needed to treat the illness but also prevents economic growth as those suffering cannot function to their best ability. HIV-AIDS can be prevented at its cause. Injecting drug users and sex workers are considered most at-risk groups to HIV infection in Bangladesh. Between 20,000 - 40,000 people in Bangladesh inject drugs3 , 57% borrow needles and only one in three used sterile equipment. This percentage is much higher in female injecting drug users 74%. More than half 57% of injecting drug users. UNICEF has played a significant role in maintaining the low HIV prevalence status of Bangladesh through its management of the HIV/AIDS Prevention Project (HAPP). They have created 144 Drop In Centres (DIC) in 44 districts in the city and rural areas of Bangladesh. |