AIDS at a critical level

Taken from Thestar.com.my -Bernama

DOHA: A needle exchange and free condoms pilot programme for drug addicts to curb the spread of HIV/AIDS will be implemented because the situation has reached an emergency level, the Prime Minister said.

“This is not a waste but if there are better suggestions the Government is prepared to consider them,” Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi told Malaysian journalists after attending the Second South Summit of G77 and China which ended here yesterday.

Abdullah said information sessions on the programme would be held as soon as possible for those who opposed the move.

Health Minister Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek would be present at the meetings, he added.

He said the move for needle exchange and free condoms had to be carried out because Chua had confirmed at a Cabinet meeting recently that the HIV/AIDS situation had reached a critical level as the affected group was still actively involved in drug addiction and sex.

Abdullah said that if these people were not given syringe and condom aid they might spread the disease to their wives or partners.

“This is dangerous because it will spread the disease,” he said.

As the situation had reached a level where it posed a danger to the people because the disease could be spread easily, the Government felt compelled to adopt this approach to solve the problem, he added.

“If we don’t want the infection to escalate, if we want to curb the spread, we must take appropriate measures,” Abdullah said.

From the religious point of view, he added, the proposal could be taken as a preventive measure in an emergency.

Chua had earlier announced that the pilot programme would be implemented at 10 government and private clinics in October and would involve 1,200 drug addicts.

On the summit, Abdullah said there should be an independent developing world that focused on self-empowerment instead of depending on developed nations which often

Poverty, he said, could be eradicated if developing nations focused on self-empowerment. –

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What? Needle exchange and Free condoms pilot programme!!! What are the govenment thinking?? State your view..