The average age of local HIV carriers is getting younger, with the incidence rate rising fastest among male teens, the Taiwan AIDS Foundation cautioned on Wednesday.
Quoting statistics released by the Centers for Disease Control, the foundation said the number of male student HIV carriers increased by 110 in 2007 and rose a further 156 last year.
“The figures mark an alarming 42 percent year-on-year surge,” said Lin Chiung-chao (林瓊照), the foundation’s secretary-general.
In the past, 70 percent of HIV carriers were aged between 20 and 40, Lin said. The trend, however, has changed in recent years, with more of those in the 15-to-19 age group becoming infected with the virus that causes AIDS.
“This is a general world trend, as the AIDS prevention publicity campaign has failed to catch up with the tendency that the average age of youngsters having sex for the first time has dropped to 16,” Lin said.
He urged public health and education authorities to step up publicity efforts to raise awareness among local teens about the risk of AIDS and the importance of safe sex.
The results of the foundation’s online surveys showed that 95 percent of Internet respondents said they would be willing to take HIV tests, with hospitals and public health centers their most favored places for such tests. In addition, 20 percent said it would be acceptable for regular health checkups to include HIV tests.
Lin said that 39 people tested HIV-positive at blood donation centers around the country in the first five months of this year.
“The figure is relatively high, as the number of people who tested HIV-positive at blood donation centers was 67 for the whole of last year,” he said, adding that more should be done to educate people not to use donating blood as a free HIV test.
He also urged those who indulge in high-risk sexual activity or who have shared syringes when abusing drugs to get tested for HIV within three months of taking part in such activities.
Palauan President Surangel Whipps Jr arrived in Taiwan last night to kick off his first visit to the country since beginning his second term earlier this year. After arriving at Taoyuan International Airport at around 6:30 pm, Whipps and his delegation were welcomed by Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍). Speaking to gathered media, the Palauan leader said he was excited and honored to be back in Taiwan on his first state visit to Taiwan since he was sworn in this January. Among those traveling with Whipps is Minister of State Gustav N. Aitaro, Public Infrastructure
President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday thanked Palau for its continued support of Taiwan's international participation, as Taipei was once again excluded from the World Health Assembly (WHA) currently taking place in Switzerland. "Palau has never stopped voicing support for Taiwan" in the UN General Assembly, the WHO and other UN-affiliated agencies, Lai said during a bilateral meeting with visiting Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr. "We have been profoundly touched by these endorsements," Lai said, praising the Pacific island nation's firm support as "courageous." Lai's remarks came as Taiwan was excluded for the ninth consecutive year from the WHA, which is being held in
RESOLUTIONS DEBATE: Taiwan’s allies said that UN and WHA resolutions cited by China and other nations ‘do not determine Taiwan’s participation in WHO activities’ A proposal to invite Taiwan to this year’s World Health Assembly (WHA) was rejected on Monday, resulting in Taipei’s absence from the annual meeting for a ninth consecutive year, although partners spoke up for Taiwan’s participation at the first day of the meeting. The first agenda item after the opening was a “two-on-two debate” on a proposal to invite Taiwan to participate at the WHA as an observer. Similar to previous years, two countries made statements in favor of the proposal, while two others expressed their opposition. Philippine Secretary of Health Teodoro Herbosa, president of the 78th WHA, accepted the WHA General Committee’s
At least three people died and more than a dozen were injured yesterday afternoon when a vehicle struck a group of pedestrians in New Taipei City’s Sansia District (三峽). The incident happened at about 4pm when a car rammed into pedestrians at an intersection near Bei Da Elementary School. Witnesses said the sedan, being driven at a high speed, ran a red light, knocking scooters out of the way and hitting students crossing the road before careening into a median near the intersection of Guocheng and Guoguang streets. The incident resulted in three deaths and 13 injuries, including the driver, a 78-year-old man
RSS