ZAGREB, Dec 1 (Hina) - Croatia has been spared a major AIDS epidemic despite exposure to numerous tourists, migrations of a high number of refugees and foreign military units, Health Minister Ana Stavljenic-Rukavina told reporters on
Friday on the occasion of World AIDS Day.
ZAGREB, Dec 1 (Hina) - Croatia has been spared a major AIDS epidemic
despite exposure to numerous tourists, migrations of a high number
of refugees and foreign military units, Health Minister Ana
Stavljenic-Rukavina told reporters on Friday on the occasion of
World AIDS Day.#L#
AIDS is the most hazardous epidemic of our age, having claimed 21.8
million lives to date. It is estimated about 36 million are infected
with the lethal HIV virus.
In Croatia, 159 have been treated for the virus since the first
recorded case in 1986. Ninety-three people have died, and it is
estimated about 300 are HIV positive at present.
According to the health minister, the low degree of HIV infection in
Croatia may be ascribed to excellent prevention measures which
started being enforced back in the 1980s.
The number of new infections has been curbed and that of sick people
is dropping thanks to strict blood testing, the protection of
patients and medical staff in health institutions, and control
among drug users.
This year's World AIDS Day is held under the motto "AIDS: Men Make a
Difference", chosen because men with AIDS are much more numerous
than women. They comprise the majority in the risk groups -
homosexuals, intravenous drug users, and promiscuous
heterosexuals.
Most cases in Croatia are men in the 25-49 age group, homosexuals
and promiscuous heterosexuals who spent a long time abroad.
Currently 85 patients are receiving the so-called cocktail
therapy, while the rest are HIV positive.
The therapy has proved very successful, both in prolonging the
patients' lives and in reducing among the HIV positive the risk of
becoming sick. It is however very expensive, between US$ 1,000 and
1,500 a month per patient.
Only one percent of drug users in Croatia is HIV positive, primarily
thanks to a successful programme of exchanging used for sterile
needles.
According to Berislav Borcic, acting manager at the Croatian Public
Health Institute, prevention measures have also resulted in a fast
drop in the frequency of sexually transmitted diseases, syphilis
and gonorrhoea, which he says is indicative of a successful change
in the sexual habits of the Croats.
He said future tourist seasons could prove potentially dangerous in
spreading the AIDS epidemic, but that preventive action could be
taken.
South Africa and Southeast Asia continue to have the highest number
of infected people. The figure is rising in East Europe.
(hina) ha