Nasim: 4,143 HIV positive patients in Bangladesh

A total of 4,1 43 HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) infected persons were detected up to November 2015 in the country, Health and Family Welfare Minister Mohammad Nasim has said. The minister was replying to a written question of treasury bench member Shamim Osman on behalf of M Israfil Alam in the Jatiya Sangsad on Wednesday, reports BSS. Of the total HIV infected people, 658 are dead and 3485 alive, the minister said citing an official statistics. He said the health ministry has taken various steps through AIDS/STD control programme to prevent the communicable disease. The government is providing medical treatment and diagnostic services at 12 hospitals for HIV affected persons, Nasim said, adding that four government hospitals are providing free treatment and medicines including counseling to the patients. Moreover, modern treatment has been providing to the HIV positive patients and drug addicted people at the Infectious Disease Hospital at Mohakhali in the capital Dhaka, he also told the House.