Only 8 percent of Pattaya’s 4,000 residents suffering from AIDS are taking advantage of a Pattaya city program that could pay them 1,000 baht a month.
Public Health Department technical officer Pichayakorn Boonkiew said at an Aug. 4 health fair in the Arunothai Community that current statistics from Banglamung Hospital show that 4,000 people in the Pattaya area are infected with the HIV virus.
Yet, she said, only 324 of them have registered with the city to receive the 1,000-baht monthly benefit.
At the health fair, nurses and medical professionals checked people for high blood pressure and diabetes and dispensed advice on preventing HIV and coronavirus infections. While everyone is focused on wearing face masks, condom use remains critical, Pichayakorn said.
She encouraged anyone afflicted with HIV to register for welfare payments with Pattaya City Hall. Village health volunteers also can provide information on what rights and benefits AIDS victims are entitled to, she added.
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