Health Ministry Official Expresses Concern Over Rising Number of Women with AIDS in Iran

Parvin Afser Kazerooni, head of the AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases control department at Iran's Ministry of Health, announced that the number of identified AIDS patients in Iran is 32,670, of which 84% are men and 16% are women. In an interview with the official Iranian news agency IRNA, this health official pointed to the rising statistics of women infected with the HIV virus in the country, stating, "Only 30% of the estimated 75,000 HIV-infected individuals in the country are aware of their status." According to Parvin Afser Kazerooni, "54% of registered HIV cases are in the age group of 21 to 35 years." The head of the AIDS control department stated that, considering the deaths of some AIDS patients, as of the end of June, 24,361 living patients have been reported. Previously, Masoud Mardani, a member of the national AIDS committee, had stated that "the actual statistics differ significantly from the registered cases." According to the World Health Organization, the actual number of infected individuals in Iran is 3 to 4 times higher than the registered cases. Therefore, it is estimated that there are between 90,000 to 120,000 AIDS patients in Iran. Parvin Afser Kazerooni continued by providing statistics on the transmission routes of the virus, stating that among AIDS patients in Iran, 68.2% are infected through injection drug use, 18.5% through sexual transmission, and 1.5% from mother to child. This health official noted that 0.8% of the total cases are also transmitted through blood and blood products, which she attributed to the years before the implementation of the 100% blood screening policy by the blood transfusion organization. Parvin Afser Kazerooni also expressed concern over the increasing number of women with AIDS in Iran, stating, "Of the new cases identified last year, 39% were transmitted through injection drug use and 41% through sexual transmission." According to this health official, "In the newly identified cases last year, the infection rate among women was 34% and among men was 66%." The head of the AIDS control department further noted a change in the pattern of HIV transmission, stating, "Currently, in newly identified cases, not only has the percentage of women increased compared to before, but the transmission pattern has also shifted from drug injection to sexual transmission and has increased as well." December 1st, known as World AIDS Day, was first globally observed in 1988 and serves as an opportunity for people worldwide to unite in the fight against AIDS, support those living with the disease, and honor victims. According to the latest assessments, 36.7 million people worldwide live with the HIV virus, of which only 18.2 million are aware of their status and receiving treatment. Last year, approximately 2.5 million people were added to the global count of HIV-infected individuals.