MoH Union Minister attends 2022 World AIDS Day in Nay Pyi Taw

Union Minister for Health Dr Thet Khaing Win attended the 2022 World AIDS Day ceremony yesterday in Nay Pyi Taw.
Speaking at the event, the Union minister said that World AIDS Day is celebrated on 1 December by the entire people actively aiming to make efforts to eradicate the disease from public health issues.
The theme of this year’s World AIDS Day is “Equalize”, a prompt for all of us to work for the proven practical actions needed to address inequalities and help end AIDS.
There were more than 270,000 people living with HIV in Myanmar, with an estimated HIV prevalence rate of 0.64 per cent by the end of 2021. The new cases were highest in 2000 with 30,000 patients and it dropped to 11,000 in 2021.
The activities to eradicate HIV/AIDS are being implemented in accordance with the new strategic plan for HIV/AIDS like Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) and conducted between July 2020 and December 2021 in Yangon Region.
For achieving better results, the PrEP processes will be continued for gay men in Yangon, Mandalay regions, Mon, Shan (South) states and Ayeyawady Region starting in 2023 and as a pilot project for those who inject drugs into a vein will be in Waingmaw Township of Kachin State and Lashio Township of Shan State (North).
He continued that the self-testing pilot project was also launched between September and December 2021 in Yangon and Mandalay Region. The Ministry mainly provides the needed fund for the fight against HIV/AIDS and the World Fund also supports it. The ministry provided $16 million of the State Budget to buy ART medical supplies for the 2022-2023FY.
Then, the Union minister, the deputy minister and officials presented awards to winners of the essay competition, painting and cartoon contests marking World AIDS Day, and viewed round the booths. —MNA