Basra records 160 HIV cases through health screenings

Shafaq News- Basra

Health screenings have identified 160 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) cases in Basra province, although the actual number could be higher, Basra Provincial Council Health Committee Deputy Chairman Nawfal Al-Mansouri said on Wednesday.

Some cases may remain undiagnosed because people have not visited testing centers or undergone screening, Al-Mansouri said, calling for greater public awareness of HIV prevention, testing and treatment to help curb transmission and protect public health.

According to Iraqi health records, HIV was first detected in the country in 1986, when 286 people with hemophilia were infected through contaminated Factor VIII imported from France. HIV weakens the immune system by destroying key cells and, if untreated, can progress to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), which may cause severe weight loss, persistent fatigue, recurrent fevers, ulcers, and other complications.

Read more: AIDS Struggle: insights across Iraqi governorates