Cambodian Health Officials Optimistic in AIDS Fight
The number of Cambodians living with HIV/AIDS has seen a sharp decline since its all-time high in the mid-1990s, and health experts estimate that prevalence will continue to decrease, Xinhua News Network reports.
According to a new report from the country’s National Center for HIV/AIDS, Dermatology and STDs (NCHADS), 14 percent of Cambodia’s female sex workers are believed to be HIV positive in 2008 compared to 43 percent in 1998. During that same time period, the percentage of HIV-positive pregnant women has decreased from 2.1 percent to 1.1 percent. Cambodia’s overall infection rate has decreased from 3.3 percent in 1997 to less than 1 percent.
“As a program manager, I am very happy because this shows we have successfully slowed down or controlled the HIV epidemic through prevention, care and treatment,” said Mean Chhi Vun, director of the NCHADS.
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"I'm HIV positive and diabetic (as well as have high cholesterol) and some of my meds specify taking them with 'high fat foods' which I have to do twice a day. I've eaten as healthy as possible, but when it comes to high fat foods, I am in a quandary...about what to eat sometimes..."
