South Sudan faces higher AIDS danger (Xinhua) Updated: 2006-09-10 15:48 KHARTOUM -- A Sudanese minister said HIV/ AIDS
danger is higher in south Sudan compared to other parts of the country, the
Khartoum Monitor daily reported Sunday.
Alison Manani Magaya, Minister of Labor, Public Service and Manpower
Development, made the remarks while addressing a graduation ceremony of an
HIV/AIDS training program on Saturday, said the daily.
The minister attributed the serious situation to the return of a large amount
of refugees from neighboring countries, which according to him have a high
HIV/AIDS prevalence.
"The challenge is how to reduce the danger in south Sudan," said Magaya,
adding that tests and propaganda on HIV/AIDS would be carried out in the
reception camps of refugees.
He said that the rate of the disease among the Sudanese population had
reached 2.6 percent and could become close to three percent in the near future,
noting that the increase would reduce population, labor, production and the
economy of the nation.
"The youth and students die in a great number of HIV/AIDS and they need to be
made aware of its dangers," he said, asking the youth not to have sex before
marriage.
He warned that without exerting more efforts, the dangers of HIV/AIDS could
reach a much higher level and millions of people could become victims of this
disease.
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