The Kingdom will mark World AIDS day in Zarqa today with an event to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS.
This year’s day, under the theme “Universal Access and Human Rights”, is being marked in Zarqa because it is the country’s cultural city for this year, according to Bassam Hijjawi, director of the ministry’s primary health directorate.
“Each year we select the cultural city to hold our awareness campaign so that all governorates will have their share of education on the issue,” he explained.
Hijjawi also revealed that the Ministry of Health, in cooperation with other concerned parties, will draft a five-year strategy to combat AIDS.
“The strategy will focus on preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV as there are 18 children diagnosed with the disease in Jordan,” he said, adding that five of them are under five years old.
Noting that Jordan is a country with low prevalence of the disease, Hijjawi said it is important to educate the public on the means of transmission in order to prevent the spread of the disease.
According to the latest figures 773 HIV/AIDS cases have been registered in the Kingdom since 1986, 227 of the Jordanians.
Of the total cases among Jordanians, 176 are males and 172 contracted the disease abroad.
Ninety of the patients have died, while the rest are receiving free-of-charge treatment from the Ministry of Health that costs the government JD250 per month for each case.
Foreigners infected with HIV/AIDS who are married to Jordanian women now receive free medication as well.
“The decision was taken in order to prevent the disintegration of families,” Hijjawi told The Jordan Times in a previous statement adding that these foreigners, whose marriages do not entitle them to Jordanian nationality, will not be sent back to their home country and can stay in the Kingdom.
Other foreigners who are infected with HIV/AIDS are sent back to their home countries for treatment, in accordance with World Health Organisation (WHO) agreements.
Since the beginning of the year, 43 HIV/AIDS cases were discovered, with 10 of them among Jordanians. Last year, 69 people tested positive for HIV/AIDS in Jordan, with Jordanians accounting for 14 of the confirmed cases.
As per coordination among the ministries of health, interior and labour, all foreigners who wish to stay in the Kingdom for over a month, renew their work permits or seek employment, should undergo tests for hepatitis B, syphilis, malaria, HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis.
Khetam Malkawi
Jordan Times