"World
AIDS Day is the first global health day which has been held for 26 years. WAD
is dedicated to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS, unite people worldwide due to tackle
this health problem, and reach a zero new HIV infections.
According
to WHO, the total number of people living with HIV in 2013 were 35 million while
19 million of them weren't aware of their infections. Approximately 13 million
people received antiretroviral therapy although according to UNAIDS report
released on 16 July 2014; we face inequity in accessing ART. As the proportion
of individuals who received the treatment was highest in Western Europe and
North America and lowest in our region as well as North Africa.
WHO
motto for WAD 2014 is:" Closing the gap in HIV prevention & treatment",
therefore global commitment should be gained to control HIV/AIDS , reach zero new HIV infection, and make it
possible for all people and specifically the vulnerable ones to access the
services they need.
According
to Iranian Ministry of Health HIV/AIDS statistics, the total number of people
living with HIV infection in Iran is 28662. Although totally about 67.2% of
infected ones were injecting-drug users, in 2013 we faced decline in this way
of virus transmission and a rise in sexual transmission.
Hence,
the public should be better educated about the transmission as well as risk
factors of HIV infection.
Opening
of National HIV Diagnostic Laboratory Network in 11 major medical universities
nationwide is a big stride which enables people to access fully equipped HIV
testing units which alongside counseling centers would be an appropriate response
to global fight against this infection.
As
Medical Council of the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRIMC) is the sole guardian of
patients' right, will support the national plan to tackle this problem.
On
the other hand, as IRIMC is the nation's largest independent and
Non-Governmental Organization and voice of approximately all Iranian health
care professionals, it protects the guild and professional rights of Iranian
health care professionals as well.
Health
care professionals' job is to care for the sick and injured and they are often
viewed as immune to injury and illness. As the guardian of professional rights
of health care professionals, IRIMC strongly support every initiative which
protect the occupational health of health care professionals and create a safe
working condition for them.
Unsafe
working condition and exposing to biological health hazards including TB,
Hepatitis, HIV/AIDS contribute to health care professionals attrition in many
countries due to work-related illness and injury and the resulting fear of
occupational infections including TB and HIV.
The
2006 World Health Report Working Together for Health reported on a severe
health workforce crisis in 57 countries, most of them in Africa and Asia.
Undoubtedly,
health protecting of health care professionals will provide better quality of
patient care and health system as a whole.
Therefore,
necessary features for tackling the spread of HIV infection would be: educating
people, introducing practical measures for HIV/AIDS control, closing the gap
for accessing to prevention and treatment services nationwide, protecting
health care professionals against biological health hazards as well as providing safe
health care facilities and forging an effective national partnership and
commitment in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
Dr.
Alireza Zali
IRIMC
President"