Kelantan concerned over rise in HIV cases

KOTA BHARU: The Kelantan government is concerned over the rise of HIV cases in the state, particularly among housewives.

State Health, Family and Women Development Committee chairperson Wan Ubaidah Omar said there were 616 new HIV cases in 2009, which was the highest recorded in the country. Sixteen per cent of the 616 were women, of whom 40 per cent were housewives.

"These women are innocent and were surely infected by their husbands," she said during a break of the Kelantan state assembly session Thursday.

Wan Ubaidah advised men, especially husbands, not to frequent prostitutes and for young married men to refrain from sex out of wedlock.

Concluding her speech during the debate later, Wan Ubaidah urged all assembly members to assist the government in educating their constituents on the dangers of drug abuse and promiscuous sex.

Media reports on September 16 stated that Kelantan had the highest number of HIV and AIDS cases in the country last year.

Health Ministry statistics revealed that 28.8 out of every 100,000 Kelantanese have been infected by the incurable disease. -- Bernama

Source: MOLE