WHO has reported that UAE had some of the lowest number of reported HIV/Aids cases in the world over the past few years, and there are statistics to prove it.
This was the conclusion of the official report released by the Preventive Medicine Department at the Ministry of Health. Neighboring countries have also reported a similar situation.According to the report, "Cultural, social and behavioral norms have contributed to keeping infection at very low levels. However, another contributing factor was the Aids Control Program, which was adopted by the ministry and considered as the first of its kind in the region."
The joint program launched by government and private institutions is of great importance in curbing the disease especially in view of the large communities of expatriates from endemic countries in the UAE.
The AIDS control program was initiated in response to the increasing awareness of policy-makers of the growing health, development and social-economic crises of Aids and its main objective is stated to be the prevention of transmission of the disease and controlling its entry into the country through primary prevention, early detection and effective management.
The report has also said that laws and regulations have been promulgated for the regulation of different aspects of the national plan, including the 1985 ministerial order that has added HIV/Aids to the notifiable diseases category.
The report said, "No cases of transmission through blood products provided in UAE facilities have been recorded since 1985 when the Aids program was implemented."
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