Savannakhet has highest rate of HIV

Laos News Agency (KPL) 
4/24/2006

Savannakhet province has the highest number of HIV sufferers
of all the provinces, according to a report released by the AIDS and
Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) Centre, with a study that covers
the period between 1990 and 2005. 

The report showed that from the 15 provinces, 1,636 people were
tested HIV positive from the 117,531 people who had their blood
tested. 

946 people had developed full-blown AIDS, and 584 people died
from the virus.

Most sufferers were aged between 25-29 years old, 61 percent were
male, and most had contracted the virus through unprotected sex. 

Savannakhet had the highest number of HIV sufferers, with 749
people, followed by Vientiane Capital with 437, Champassak with
135, Khammouane with 112 and Bokeo with 90.

In order to prevent further cases of HIV and AIDS, the AIDS
Prevention National Committee Board has planned a strategy for the
next five years, which lists the five main target areas for attention,
namely education for those at risk, care for those who suffer from the
illness, the upgrading of laws relating to promotional materials, more
vigilant research and more focused project management. 

It is expected that by the year 2010, condom use will have increased
by 80 percent throughout the sex industry, and that the AIDS infection
rate would be lower than 5 percent of the population, and that the
incidence of STIs would be reduced by 50 percent from the figures in
2004.