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YEREVAN, DECEMBER 1, ARMENPRESS. 1504 people diagnosed with HIV are under medical supervision in Armenia. In terms of new cases of the disease, stability is observed.
While in 2014, 324 people were diagnosed with the disease, in 2015 only 294 cases were documented, Vardan Arzakanyan – epidemiologist of the Republican Center for AIDS prevention told ARMENPRESS.
According to Arzakanyan, since 1988 (the year when AIDS was first documented in Armenia) until October 31, 2016, 2 thousand 482 AIDS cases were diagnosed. Those are the diagnosed numbers, but estimates suggest the numbers could differ. Arzakanyan says according to calculation data, up to 3 thousand 600 people with AIDS are living in Armenia, on an average estimate.
Arzakanyan says a decrease of new cases is seen globally.
“Migration has great impact on spread of the disease. Migrants who leave for countries where the number of HIV/AIDS cases are high, may engage in non-safe sexual relations with strangers, which leads to transmitting the disease. In our country the migration factor has a big role on the pandemic. 57 % of those who were diagnosed with the disease in the last 5 years contracted it aboard”, he said.
Speaking about other factors of contracting the disease, Arzakanyan said people who use narcotics by intravenous means are considered to be a target group.
“In the last 10 years the HIV transmission through the abovementioned had decreased. Here, preventive programs have great role,” he said.
According to Arzakanyan, public awareness on the issue has significantly grown, the attitude of people has changed towards the disease and patients. He said numerous events are organized to raise awareness, such as – within the framework of “European analysis week”, laboratory tests are carried out in Gyumri, Vanadzor, and Yerevan.
Official programs are also underway for prevention and countering the disease. Arzakanyan says preventive events are held in villages, people receive consultations by a mobile clinic, rapid test method is used for analysis.