25th June, 2016, Colombo

By  Niranjala Ariyawansha

 

Director of the National STD/AIDS Control Programme Sri Lanka, Consultant Dr. Sisira Liyanage said that during the first six months of this year 23 schoolchildren have been infected with HIV/AIDS [You cannot get infected with AIDS – Bakamoono Editor] due to having unprotected sex. He said that during the past six months, 900,000 persons in the island have been subjected to medical tests to find out whether they were infected with the virus.

 

Director of the National STD/AIDS Control Programme Sri Lanka, Consultant Dr. Sisira Liyanage said that during the first six months of this year 23 schoolchildren have been infected with HIV/AIDS due to having unprotected sex. He said that during the past six months, 900,000 persons in the island have been subjected to medical tests to find out whether they were infected with the virus.

Dr. Liyanage who said that there is a severe risk of the youth between the ages of 15 and 25 years contracting the virus, he emphasized the fact that this situation has to be controlled immediately.

He also said that in 2014, 22 students had become infected with HIV/AIDS. Dr. Liyanage told Ceylon Today that a programme is to be launched in all schools in the island with complete approval of the Education Ministry, taking into consideration the prevailing situation to raise awareness among students from the age of 14 years regarding HIV/AIDS and how it is contracted as well as the manner in which it can be diagnosed.

Hence, inaugural programmes will be conducted in schools in the Colombo District beginning from this month. It has been identified that 2,131 patients were victims of HIV/AIDS by 31 March this year.

Coutesy: Ceylon Today