NONTHABURI – Thailand aims to put the end to the Kingdom’s HIV/AIDS issue within the year 2030 through community improvement and healthcare system upgrades, the DDC chief says.
The Department of Disease Control (DDC) Director-General Amnuay Gajeena has revealed that Thailand has upgraded its AIDS prevention and solving strategy to the Ending AIDS goal, which will limit the number of newborn children with HIV and newly infected HIV patients to be below 1,000 persons per year. This ambitious campaign will also ensure that all patients will have access to medicine.
He said that the new goal will eliminate labeling and discrimination against HIV patients among the general public. The key measures to achieve this goal are the strengthening of healthcare and community systems, and the integration of the prevention and treatment measures through promoting a positive attitude towards HIV/AIDS patients.
The DDC and the Thai Red Cross AIDS Research Centre (TRCARC) will also be holding the “Lighting the heart” event marking the World AIDS Day on 30 November – 1 December 2015 at Chamchuri Square, Bangkok, with the “Quick diagnose, quick treatment, ending ADIS” concept. The event will be officiated by Her Royal Highness Princess Soamsawali.
According to the report by UNAIDS, the number of HIV/AIDS patients globally in 2014 is at 36.9 million persons, including 2 million newly infected patients and 1.2 million deaths. The cumulative number of patients in Thailand is 1,201,839; including 775,136 deaths, 426,707 patients, and 7,324 newly infected patients in 2015.
The public can also make inquiries regarding the HIV/AIDS issues by calling the DDC hotline 1422, the DDC director-general has said.
