SUVA – There are 54 new cases of HIV/AIDS, taking the toll to 420 since the country’s first recorded case.
The new cases, recorded by the Ministry of Health last year, has triggered a warning by Health Minister Doctor Neil Sharma that it is best for people to wait until marriage if they want to be sexually active.
“And if you are active sexually, please, use condoms,” he said.
The new cases recorded by the ministry are of people between 19 and 35 years old. Dr Sharma said there had been a high incidence of ignorance of the disease.
He said prevention was better than cure and his ministry was working towards the prevention and treatment of the disease.
“We are the low incidence country in the region and people are coming forward and getting tested,” said Dr Sharma.
Ministry spokesman Peni Namotu said the ministry was still trying to work out how many of the confirmed HIV/AIDS patients in the country had died since 1989, when the first case was recorded. He said the ministry had been working with stakeholders to create awareness.
“We have seen that people are more open now. Traditionally, it’s a taboo in the Pacific Island countries for people to talk about sexually-transmitted infections and HIV/AIDS,” he said. “The ministry spent $50,000 last year on purchasing the ARV drug and this year, $90,000 has been allocated to get the drugs, which are given free to patients.”
Mr Namotu said all citizens had the responsibility to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS.
