Morocco campaigns against AIDS with free examinations

Minister from the Progress and Socialist Party, El Hossein El Ouardi Morocco\'s ministry of health announced that 75.522 Moroccan citizens agreed to voluntary medical examinations for the AIDS Virus HIV. The results indicated 199 infected cases, who were transferred to specialised health centres to confirm they were infected by the virus infection, with follow-up visits to ensure treatment. The results also showed that 80 percent of those with the virus were unaware that they were infected.
In a statement issued Wednesday and seen by Arabstoday, the ministry said that “the results are preliminary, and are part of a national campaign to detect Aids which was organised between June 20-27 in cooperation with civil society organisations and associations fighting AIDS. The results showed 199 infected cases who were transferred to specialist health centres in order to confirm the virus and ensure treatment.\" The statement added that despite the initial campaign being over, most health centres will be open for voluntary, private, and free examination of this virus.
The same source said that the campaign, spearheaded by the leftist minister from the Progress and Socialist Party, El Hossein El Ouardi consisted of 200 examination centres nationally distributed, including 150 centres belonging to the ministry of health and 50 belonging to organisations involved in fighting HIV infection.   In addition, the campaign had  8 mobile units at its disposal to reach the  largest number of people. The initiative comes under the framework of a national long-term strategy to fight HIV AIDS in Morocco from 2012-2016, where the aim is to decrease the percentage of new infections by 50 percent within this period.
The ministry of health statement said it was the campaign’s priority to minimise the danger of transferring HIV from infected pregnant women to their babies, together with decreasing the death rate of infected mothers by 60 percent along with reducing discrimination and changing the negative image which society has towards AIDS patients and respecting their rights to better social integration.
In addition, the ministry pointed out that an important target of the national campaign for detecting HIV is sensitising citizens about its dangers, especially youth and women, and increasing the percentage of people accepting the examination services.