• 25 HIV infected had been identified in 2021 at the Mahamodara hospital and 36 for the last year
• 427 patients had been reported from the country from January to September last year

By D.G. Sugathapala and Sumathipala Diyagahage   

Health authorities in the Galle district are alarmed that the rate of HIV infected persons in the district is increasing.  

Medical Officer of the Sexually Transmitted Diseases Prevention Unit in Mahamodara hospital in Galle Dr. Darshani Wijewickrema said 25 HIV infected had been identified in 2021 at the Mahamodara hospital and 36 for the last year. She pointed out that there would be more patients who contracted the disease and were yet to be identified. 

She said the majority of them were males above 20 years of age.  

She further said 427 patients had been reported from the country from January to September last year increasing the total number of patients identified from September 1986 to 4831 since the first HIV infected in the country was reported.   

Dr. Mrs. Wijewickrama expressed concern that AIDS has been spreading in alarming proportions.