Ammon News - By Khetam Malkawi

AMMAN - A total of 69 people have tested positive for HIV/AIDS in Jordan since the beginning of the year, a health official said on Monday.

Bassam Hijjawi, director of the Health Ministry's disease control department, told The Jordan Times yesterday that 14 of the confirmed cases were registered among Jordanians.

"Most cases were other nationalities who were sent back to their countries for treatment in accordance with international and World Health Organisation (WHO) agreements," he added.

As per coordination between the ministries of health, interior and labour, all foreigners who wish to stay in the Kingdom for over a month, renew their work permits or seek employment should undergo tests for hepatitis B, syphilis, malaria, HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis. Those who test positive for HIV/AIDS are repatriated for treatment.

According to Hijjawi, 211 of the 712 HIV/AIDS cases that have been registered in the country since 1986 were Jordanians: 171 males and 40 females.

Ministry figures indicate that of the total, 46 Jordanians were infected by the disease inside the Kingdom, while the rest contracted it abroad.

He added that the ministry will continue its ongoing awareness campaign and mark this year’s World AIDS Day on December 1 in Karak.

Meanwhile, on the eve of World AIDS Day, the World Health Organisation urged countries to phase out the use of Stavudine, the most widespread antiretroviral, because of “long-term, irreversible" side effects in HIV patients including wasting and nerve disorders, Reuters reported.

In changes to its guidelines, WHO also recommended that people with HIV, including pregnant women, should start taking antiretroviral drugs earlier to live a longer and healthier life.

According to the latest UNAIDS report, an estimated 33.4 million people worldwide are infected with the AIDS virus, two-thirds of them in sub-Saharan Africa. (Jordan Times)