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Sri Lanka to Control the Spread of AIDS, Leprosy

by Bidita Debnath on February 24, 2016 at 2:19 AM

The Sri Lankan government vowed to control the spread of leprosy and HIV/AIDS which is on the rise in the island nation.

Health Minister Rajitha Senaratne said the objective of the government was to lower the disease prevalence in five years, Xinhua reported.


Over 1,000 leprosy patients were detected in Sri Lanka by November 2015 while over 150 people were detected with HIV/AIDS.

‘Sri Lankan Health Minister Rajitha Senaratne said the objective of the government is to lower the disease prevalence in five years.’

The National Sexually Transmitted Disease Eradication Unit Director, recently asserted that the majority of victims infected with HIV/AIDS were between the age group of 25 to 45.

The Health Ministry said the spread of the disease was due to the tourism industry, use of drugs, homosexual behaviour, and immigration. Over 228 people were diagnosed with HIV/AIDS in Sri Lanka in 2014.

Source: IANS

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