Around 4,000 HIV infected persons in country – Venerologist

It is estimated that 3,600 to 4,000 persons are living with HIV in Sri Lanka, Anuradhapura Hospital’s Consultant Venerologist Dr. Thilani Rathnayake said.

She said a total of 607 new HIV infected persons were reported in the country.

“Every year more than 6,000 males and females are treated at the 41 sexual health clinics at general hospitals for different types of Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD) of which genital herpes has been reported in highest numbers whereas Gonorrhoea, Syphilis, genital warts are the other common STDs”, she said.

Dr.Rathnayake attached to the Sexual Health Clinic at the Anuradhapura Teaching Hospital referring to the situation in Anuradhapura district said that last year, the total number of HIV patients reported in the district has been 113.727 patients have attended the sexual clinic such as 375 female and 352 male patients. Among them it has been detected 21 Gonorrhoea patients 13 Syphilis patients, 94 Genital herpes patients and 75 Genital warts patients.

Dr.Rathnayake explaining further stated that early diagnosis and treatment is proven as a prevention strategy for HIV because the risk of on ward HIV transmission is very low in well controlled patients. She said two successful vaccines to prevent STDs are Hepatitis-B and HPV vaccine. Hepatitis-B is recommended for all sexual contacts of acute hepatitis-B infection, drug users and HIV positive individuals to prevent new infections. The human papillomavirus (HPV) has proven to prevent 90% cervical cancer and girls between the age 9-12 years are eligible for vaccination and proven to prevent both cervical cancer and genitalm warts caused by HIV.

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