Al-Sulaymaniyah: Qiwan University holds awareness conference for World AIDS Day
Shafaq News – Al-Sulaymaniyah
Qiwan University in Al-Sulaymaniyah hosted an awareness conference on Monday in recognition of World AIDS Day, focusing on boosting public understanding of HIV/AIDS and promoting prevention efforts.
World AIDS Day, first declared in 1988, is observed to raise global awareness of HIV/AIDS, encourage early testing, improve access to treatment, and reduce social stigma surrounding the disease.
Azi Sarbest, the conference supervisor, told Shafaq News that the event brought together specialists, students, faculty members, and administrators, along with experts from inside and outside the Kurdistan Region. He said the discussions focused on the risks the disease poses to communities and university students.
Presentations at the conference covered modes of transmission, infection rates, and specific concerns in Al-Sulaymaniyah, in addition to the health and legal procedures in place to limit the spread of the virus and strengthen prevention efforts.
Sarbest noted that case numbers in the province remain below levels recorded in other parts of the world "due to local customs and social norms," noting that “ongoing efforts aim to maintain this level and prevent any rise in infections.”
The Kurdish Ministry of Health announced 87 new HIV/AIDS cases recorded over the past 11 months. Laboratory tests conducted during this period confirmed infections among 64 foreign visitors or residents from outside the Kurdistan Region and 23 citizens or residents within the Region.
