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Free HIV/AIDS treatment center opens in Lao capital

Xinhua, November 14, 2016 Adjust font size:

The Lao Ministry of Health recently opened a new unit to treat people living with HIV/AIDS at Mittaphab Hospital in capital Vientiane, local media reported Monday.

The unit comprises patients' rooms, a laboratory, a counselling room, a pharmacy and other facilities with primary focus of providing patients with advice on sexually transmitted infections (STI), HIV/AIDS, reproductive health, and other related issues, according to local Vientiane Times on Monday.

The unit also plans to run awareness campaigns, which especially target young people, with an added focus on adolescents and sex workers. They will be invited to participate in various activities to help them better understand HIV and AIDS, said Director of the Center for HIV/AIDS/STI, Dr Bounpheng Philavong, at the opening ceremony the unit.

Some 11,000 people are estimated to carry the HIV infection in Laos. Fully 7,000 of them have not received treatment and 100 have recently died. Over 4,000 people living with HIV, including 227 children, have received treatment with antiretroviral drugs, said the report.

Currently, there are 10 units that treat HIV/AIDS free of charge across Laos, including two units in Vientiane at Setthathirath and Mittaphab Hospitals, in addition to clinics in the provinces of Khammuane, Savannakhet, Champasak, Luang Prabang, Luang Namtha, Bokeo and Huaphan. Endit