Women More Liable to HIV than Men in Albania

16 August 2005

IOM

Like elsewhere in the world, the number of people infected HIV/AIDS is on the rise in Albania. Over the past several years, the number of women with HIV/AIDS is slightly larger with women that with men, report the International Organization for Migrations and the Institute of Public Health, the implementers of the �Inclusion of Albanian artists and sportsmen in campaign against HIV/AIDS� project.

According to their findings, approximately 75% of people with HIV/AIDS in Albania said that they got infected abroad. IOM and the Institute also emphasize the important role of the media in prevention of HIV/AIDS infection. The media ought to do more to fight the discrimination against people with AIDS. According to the latest reports, 80% of the people included in a poll conducted by IOM said that the media is their main source of information about HIV/AIDS.

The two organizations also reiterated that it is important for immigrants to take all measures of precaution and get tested for HIV/AIDS on their return to Albania. They complain that the number of people that take the HIV tests voluntarily is very small. Only 350 people subjected themselves to voluntary HIV tests in the first half of 2005.