SANTIAGO – The Chilean government has taken several actions to neutralize the incidence of HIV-positive cases, which scaled up 66 percent in the last six years.
Health Minister Carmen Castillo has promised a greater control and facilitation of tests, increased distribution of free condoms and an expanded didactic work to improve citizens’ awareness of this disease.
According to the Carmen Castillo, the statistics indicate that by the end of this year there will be 5,200 HIV cases in Chile, which is the human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS), 79 percent higher than the cases recorded in 2010.
This issue sparked off harsh criticism of the latest Chilean governments, with experts stressing that the increase of HIV cases is due to the fact that the South American nation did not literally take the recommendations by WHO.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has a portfolio of guidelines to prevent AIDS spreading, with encouraging results in many territories.
In case of Chile, the United Nations agency considers that it should take a combined prevention strategy, with educational measures on the correct use of condom, while impelling test of virus detection among young people.
