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Health system struggles with AIDS pandemic

    JOHANNESBURG

    Sudan's national security is threatened by HIV/AIDS as its health system struggles to cope with the rapidly spreading disease, a government official has said.

    Mohamed Siddig, deputy head of the national AIDS programme, said many people died without knowing they were infected because the 21-year-old civil war in the south had devastated health systems.

    It is estimated that 2.6 percent of the country's adults aged between 15 and 49 are living with the HI virus.

    Reuters quoted Siddig as saying: "It [HIV/AIDS] is a real threat and an increasing threat to development, national security and human resources. "We are estimating there are 500,000 to 600,000 people with HIV/AIDS in Sudan."

    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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