RFE/RL
Saturday 26 August 2000
NEWS BRIEFS
AIDS Continues To Spread In Armenia
The number of people suffering from HIV or AIDS in Armenia continues
to rise at an alarming rate and may have already reached 1800, a
senior doctor said on Saturday.
In the words of Samvel Grigorian, head of the government Center for
AIDS Prevention, the estimate is based on a survey among "risky
groups" of the population conducted by his agency earlier this
year. It is far higher than the official figure that keep count of
only HIV carriers registered with medical authorities.
The survey, the first in its kind in Armenia, found that the highest
incidence of the disease is among drug addicts, Grigorian told RFE/RL,
adding that as many as 14 percent of them may be affected by it. He
said prostitution is another serious factor contributing to the spread
of AIDS.
The survey also found little awareness of the problem among most
ordinary Armenians, few of whom bother to undergo medical
check-ups. "Large segments of the population were and are vulnerable
to catching the disease," Grigorian said.
(Satik Seyranian)