Fight Against HIV/AIDS Top Priority in Tanzania; 25 Million People Tested in 2014

Health minister of Tanzania opined that circumcising males is one of the government's priorities among others, as it can reduce HIV/Aids infection by 60%.

More than 25 million people had tested for HIV/Aids in the east African country Tanzania in 2014, says a new data released by the government.

This is an increase of 4,999,323 people until December 2014 compared to 20,469,241 people who tested in December 2013 and 11,640 people who tested in 2009.

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"AIDS is an epidemic disease, a potentially preventable, deadly infection for which there is no cure, no vaccine, and it is not under control." - National Commission on AIDS, 1993.

The Minister for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Seif Rashid said that government’s efforts have yielded the good results, which includes male circumcision where a total of 1,138,000 received the cut since the program was launched in 2010 compared to the target of circumcising 2,102,252 males by 2017.

He said that circumcising males could reduce HIV/Aids infection by 60 percent, noting that this is one of the government’s priority areas among others.

Dr Rashid also said that his ministry is implementing the third Health Sector HIV and AIDS Strategic Plan, which includes empowering health centers to provide services pertaining to HIV/Aids.

AIDS/HIV - Epidemiology Terminology Infections
AIDS or HIV is an epidemic disease, a potentially deadly infection that can be prevented with precautions. AIDS/HIV symptoms manifest long after the actual infection occurs.

He added that his ministry has empowered 109 health clinics that issue anti-retroviral treatment to HIV positive pregnant mothers.

The minister further said that home-based care services have been increased to 338,547 people out of a target of 424,298 by 2014, adding that counseling and testing services will also be increased to reach 7,411,619 people and provide ARVs to 880,681 people living with HIV/ Aids.

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"The ministry has reached its target of 525 CD4 machines in health centers and dispensaries, as well as 383 other machines that have been connected to a system that feeds reports of CD4 test results directly to government database," he explained.

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Source-Medindia