Rajitha proposes Blood tests for students to detect HIV Positives

Health Minister Dr Rajitha Senaratne proposed blood test to detect  HIV positive cases among  school and university students.

He said 2,265  people have been infected HIV during  the past five years. Out of it  20  are schoolchildren.

When Parliament  met yesterday at 9.30 am , while answering questions raised by Dallas Alahaperum, Rajitha revealed details of HIV positive cases in Srilanka

Questions raised and answers given are below: –

Q: How many people with HIV positive were  detected between 2010 and 2015?

A: 2,265 people. (2010 – 121 peoples, 2011 – 144 peoples, 2012 – 182 peoples, 2013 – 196 peoples, 2014 – 228 peoples, 2015 to October 30, 191 people)

Q: Categorize  them according to age group?

A: up to the age of 9  – 71,at the afe of  10 – 147, between 15 and 19-13,Between 20 and 29 – 478 , between  30 and 39 -822 and over 40 years age  – 817.

Question: Number of students proved HIV positive among them??

A: 20

For an interim question by Alagaperum, Rajitha answered as follows:

Those who are under the age of 15 years got it from their mothers.

Rajitha was  unable to specify exact  number of HIV positives  because due to fear  and social problems they don’t come forward to obtain treatment.

Now , the Ministry of Health has taken a decision in consultation with the Ministry of Education to do HIV positive test of all students and University entrants.

Without subject to this blood test for HIV positive, no qualified student will be admitted to the University in future, he said. As there is rise in sexual diseases, tests need to be carried out even for  non-infectious diseases in Srilanka. We are in discussion with the Ministry of Education to include a subject on infectious HIV disease in the syllabus in future in order to educate students.