The conference of the Fourth AIDS Control Strategic Program in Iran was held hosted by Mashhad university of Medical Sciences featuring the experts and authorities of the related organizations in east of the country and continued to December 14^th, 2016.

In this conference, Dr. Hemgameh Namdaritabar, the secretary of Country-Wide Committee of Supervision on the Execution of AIDS Control Strategic Program (Standard Investment Project, SIP) said: so far, three AIDS Control Programs are executed in the country.

Dr. Namdaritabar introduced the Fourth AIDS Control Strategic Program and explained its purposes and said: one of the important features of this plan is supervision on its execution in the related organizations.

She asserted: in the three-day conference, in addition to the objectives and orientations of the Fourth AIDS Control Strategic Program, its challenges and pitfalls were also discussed.

She spoke of seven educational workshops of Supervision on AIDS Control Strategic Program in different provinces throughout the country and said: these workshops are already held in Shiraz, Kermanshah and Tabriz. At the moment, we are witnessing its execution in Mashhad.

Dr.  Namdaritabar added: the next educational workshops are going to be held in Sari, Kerman and Ahwaz. In this workshop, experts and officials of the organizations related to AIDS Control and Prevention participated.

The Monitoring and Evaluation expert of the Ministry of Health, Treatment and Medical Education added: at the moment 23 organizations are active in AIDS Control and Prevention Program. The Fourth AIDS Control Strategic Program is compiled with the participation of all these organizations. Though eight organizations and institutions play the most significant roles in its compilation and supervision.

17% of HIV Inflictions Are Reported to Be in Women

The secretary of Country-Wide Committee of Supervision on Executing AIDS Control Strategic Program said: at the moment, 17 % of the individuals inflicted with AIDS throughout the country are women.

Dr. Hengameh Namdaritabar added: in recent years, HIV infliction has increased among women in the country.

She also spoke of the increasing outbreak of transferring this virus through sexual relationships and said: at the moment, 18% of HIV transfer incidences throughout the country are through sexual relationship, which have precipitously increased in recent years.

This official of Monitoring and Evaluation of the Ministry of Health, Treatment and Medical Education added: the new statistics of HIV virus transfer through sexual relationship is announced to be 40% in the country.

75-80 Thousand Individuals Are Inflicted with HIV Virus in the Country

She averred: it is predicted that 75-80 thousand individuals are inflicted with HIV virus in the country, among which 23 thousand incidences have so far been recognized.

 As Dr. Namdaritabar put it, a major focus of the Fourth AIDS Control Strategic Program is controlling transfer through sexual relationships and recognizing all incidences of HIV virus inflictions.

“At the moment addictive injection is the cause of 78% of HIV virus transfer incidences leading to AIDS in our country, followed by transfer through sexual relationships which is growing increasingly and has the highest rates in statistics”, she added.

The secretary of Country-Wide Committee of Supervision on Executing AIDS Control Strategic Program added: incidences of virus transfer through mother to the child is 1%. Also the statistics of transfer through blood products and unknown cases is very little.

She averred: since 2006, no incidence of HIV virus transfer through blood products is reported.

If Patients Inflicted with AIDS Receive Proper Treatment, They Can Live a Normal Life

Dr. Namdaritabar announced the treatment charges of each patient inflicted with AIDS to be 200-230 dollars through the year and stressed: if an inflicted patient receives care and treatment, s/he can live a normal life and at the same time avoid transferring the disease to others.

She emphasized: AIDS is a controllable infectious disease. In recent years, people’s outlook about this diseases has changed such that an HIV inflicted individual can live a normal life, get married and have children like others.

Dr. Zahra Nehbandani, the Director of Contagious Diseases Control Department of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences said: 150 experts and representatives of HIV virus control from northeast of the country including 11 medical Sciences Universities located in Sistan and Balouchestan, Khorasan Razavi, Northern Khorasan and Southern Khorasan provinces participated in this conference.

Dr. Nehbandani added: previously, each AIDS control and prevention-related organization used to execute separate plans, but in the Fourth Program, the measures are supposed to be undertaken collaboratively by the related organizations in a five-year period.

She asserted that: the organizations related to HIV Virus Control and Prevention include Prisons, Rehabilitation, Coordination Council of Fighting against Drugs, Provincial Governor’s Office, Education and Training, the Ministry of Health, and Labor, Cooperation and Social Welfare Organizations.

Also, Dr. Mehrzad Tashakorian, the Director General of Health and Treatment of Prisons Organization said: all prisoners are tested for HIV virus infliction. AIDS Control and Prevention Program is seriously pursued in prisons.

He added: 70% of the crimes recorded throughout the country are related to drugs, among which we witness inflicted women, some of whom are pregnant or nursing mothers.

The Director General of Health and Treatment of Prisons, Security and Corrective Measures Organization said: at the moment, 90% of the total number of female prisoners in prisons all over the country have no visitors as their families have left them alone on their own.

He added: on the other hand, among prisoners, some men seem to be proud of being imprisoned while women hide this issue from others.

He considered promoting theological issues and strengthening religious beliefs among the programs that are seriously executed for prisoners.