MOH organises HIV/AIDS seminar

Manama, Nov. 12 (BNA): Health Ministry organised a seminar themed "Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome – AIDS: Definition." The inaugural speech was delivered on behalf of Health Minister Faeqa Al Saleh by the Director of Public Health, Dr. Mariam Al Hajeri in which she reaffirmed the ministry's keenness on hosting such conferences and seminars that enrich the medical and health field and elevate the Kingdom of Bahrain's position as a regional hub and to increase the expertise of health service providers in various disciplines. She said countries all over the world on December 1 each year mark AIDS Day with campaigns aimed to increase awareness, achieve further progress in the prevention of the disease and to enhance patients' treatment and care in partnership with the relevant public and private sector entities. Dr. Al Hajeri reaffimred the Kingdom of Bahrain's commitment vis-à-vis the UN Convention on Combating Aids with participation at the top political level. The Prime Minister issued an edict for the formation of the National Committee for Prevention of HIV/AIDS comprising various governmental and private relevant bodies, led by the Ministry of Health, in setting up multi-sectorial strategy and integration thereof in the plans of ministries as well as engagement of representatives of the civil society institutions and the private sector on issuance of AIDS Law which reflects the community partnership between government and non-governmental institutions to achieve the goals of coping with this global epidemic. Also, Dr. Jamila Suleiman, the head of Internal Medicine Department, consultant on communicable diseases and head of AIDS Treatment Panel in the Ministry gave a speech in which she explained the current regional and global challenges posed by AIDS which is still the subject of medical and sociological research as efforts continue to find an effective vaccine to eradicate HIV/AIDS.