A total of 1,299 AIDS patients were identified from 1989 to November 30 last year. Minister for Health and Family Welfare Mohammad Nasim said this on Tuesday while replying to a question from treasury bench member Amina Ahmed at the Jatiya Sangsad.
The minister said the government has taken various initiatives for AIDS patients. As part of the initiatives, the non-government organizations (NGOs) with government fund would provide Anti- Retroviral Drug free of charge to AIDS patients from its six centres.
Besides, AIDS patients are receiving health education, health condition and counseling through eight government hospitals, Mohammad Nasim told the House.
The government is providing treatment to AIDS patients at a separate ward at Infections Disease Hospital at Mohakhali. The government has also taken a project to provide AIDS treatment through 20 centres free of cost, the minister said.
The government has a plan to give treatment to AIDS patients at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University.
Chittagong Medical College Hospital, Rajshahi Medical College Hospital, Dhaka Medical College Hospital and Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital, he added.
