To display the government's determination in the fight against AIDS, President Chen Shui-bian (
"As a member of the global community, its our obligation to seriously consider how to care for those who are infected with HIV," Chen said.
Chen made the remarks while attending an AIDS prevention presentation, which was held to mark World AIDS Day yesterday in front of the Presidential Office by the Cabinet's Committee for the Promotion of AIDS Prevention and the Department of Health (DOH).
The presentation demonstrated the results of the government's AIDS prevention efforts.
Noting the main theme of Taiwan's anti-AIDS campaign this year "Eliminating Stigma and Discrimination: Live and let live," Chen stressed that Taiwanese people should try to be more open minded and seek out the values of love, and hope.
Chen also said that the prevention and treatment of AIDS is one of the DPP's long-term goals and that the government will put more resources toward fighting the disease.
"We should combine the efforts of both the private sector and the government to decrease the HIV infection rate," Chen said. "This is one of the government's top priorities."
Chen said that since the government and people in Taiwan have worked hand in hand to prevent AIDS, there is hope that the nation's HIV infection rate will decrease annually.
According to the DOH's statistics, as of the end of last month, 4,217 people in Taiwan were infected with HIV, with the figure rising an average of 20 percent each year and a total of 820 people with AIDS have died.
* At the end of last month, 4,217 people had been infected with HIV.
* HIV cases are increasing by 20 percent a year.
* 820 people have died of AIDS-related illnesses.
* On the basis of the average annual growth rate, 15,000 people will be infected with HIV by 2011.
* By 2011, AIDS and HIV will cost the government NT$26 billion.
Acting head of the DOH Twu Shiing-jer (涂醒哲) said, "While over 25 million people have died from AIDS in the world, we hope that our society can break the silence, face this issue and educate people about the importance of safe sex."
"More importantly, we must stop discriminating against HIV patients and their relatives. Instead, we should give sincere concern to them," he said.
Based on the average annual growth rate, the number of people in Taiwan who are infected with HIV will rise to 15,000 by 2011, with an estimated medical expenditure of NT$26 billion (US$765 million), according to the DOH's statistics.
Twu said that the DOH has targeted 2006 as the year in which the annual growth rate of HIV cases should be zero.
The Cabinet-level committee, which is authorized to coordinate over 12 departments of the Executive Yuan, was established on Dec. 19, last year.
The Ministry of Education presented statistics on Thursday showing that university students know less about AIDS and HIV than their junior high school counterparts.
The figures show the number of AIDS cases is growing by 22 percent a year and that more than 70 percent of Taiwan's AIDS patients are aged 20 to 39.
RSS