Rapid increase of HIV contracted individuals in Hambantota

By Chandarasena Gamage

Health authorities express concern over the rapid increase of HIV contracted individuals in the Hambantota district this year.

A medical officer of the Sexually Transmitted Diseases Prevention Unit of the Hambantota District told this to the media during a medical clinic held recently in Ambalangoda area. 

He pointed out that 21 HIV infected individuals had been identified from the district this year and that there could be more yet to be identified. He said a total number of 87 patients had been identified from the district, most of them from the Suriyawewa and Thissamaharama areas, and that there could be more yet to be identified.

The medical officer further said that Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is not a terminal disease and can be cured through treatments at the early stages before it develops into the state of Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS).