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New statistics show increase in AIDS rates

    JOHANNESBURG

    An estimated 13.6 percent of adults aged between 15 and 49 in Mozambique are currently living with HIV/AIDS, the Ministry of Health recently revealed.

    The ministry said the new figures were the result of tests conducted during 2002 among 10,788 pregnant women in 36 of the country's health centres.

    As in previous surveys, the statistics show a sharp difference between the country's provinces and regions. The southern region leads the epidemic with a 17 percent HIV prevalence rate, compared to 13.2 percent for the area in 2000.

    Health Minister Francisco Songane warned that while the northern provinces had a relatively low infection rate, efforts in preventive measures should not slacken.

    The state-owned news agency, Agencia Informacao Mocambique (AIM), quoted Songane as saying: "Prevention remains the fundamental aspect. The fact that we treat people who are sick does not detract from the need for prevention."

    This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

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