Bandhu Social Welfare Society (Bandhu) organized an event at Mohila Shamiti on Wednesday evening to observe ‘World AIDs day 2021’. The guest of honor was the US Ambassador to Bangladesh Earl R Millar. He said, the US is providing HIV/AIDS related support and services for about ninety-thousand Bangladeshi people. He added, in line with the UN declaration of elimination of AIDS, the US will also keep their contribution towards the betterment of the HIV field in Bangladesh. The initiatives taken by the government of Bangladesh to prevent HIV/AIDS in the country is truly commendable work, Millar said ‘every year US government spends one billion dollars for HIV prevention programs around the world’.
According to government info, last year 729 new HIV cases has found and 188 died from AIDS. The transgender and hijra community is more vulnerable to getting HIV affected because of the unsafe and risk health services. Bandhu Social Welfare Society (Bandhu) has been providing HIV-related support to this community for more than two decades. Aligned with the government initiatives, Bandhu is providing HIV testing facilities for the community in gov. hospital and engaging PLHIV with ART centers. All these services are free for the transgender and Hijra community. With the support from UNAIDS and UNFPA, Bandhu recently initiated HIV Self-testing. In this process, anyone can know their status within 20 minutes through their saliva by using the quick test kit.
The additional secretary of Health and Family Welfare Ministry Kazi Zebunnessa Begum, UNFPA’s acting country representative Eiko Narita , UNAIDS’s country manager Dr. Sayma Khan and National AIDS/STD Program director Dr. Mohammad Aminul Islam Mian was also present at the event. Chairperson of Bandhu and prominent dance artist Anisul Islam Hero had attended the program as chair of the event.
According to government info, last year 729 new HIV cases has found and 188 died from AIDS. The transgender and hijra community is more vulnerable to getting HIV affected because of the unsafe and risk health services. Bandhu Social Welfare Society (Bandhu) has been providing HIV–related support to this community for more than two decades. Aligned with the government initiatives, Bandhu is providingHIV testing facilities for the community in gov. hospital and engaging PLHIV with ART centers. All these services are free for the transgender and Hijra community. With the support from UNAIDS and UNFPA, Bandhu recently initiated HIV Self-testing. In this process, anyone can know their status within 20 minutes through their saliva by using the quick testkit.
The additional secretary of Health and Family Welfare Ministry Kazi Zebunnessa Begum, UNFPA’s acting country representative Eiko Narita , UNAIDS’s country manager Dr. Sayma Khan and National AIDS/STD Program director Dr. Mohammad Aminul Islam Mian was also present at the event. Chairperson of Bandhu and prominent dance artist Anisul Islam Hero had attended the program as chair of the event.