The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) yesterday said that the numbers of people diagnosed with HIV/AIDS in the nation have been reducing for six years, but people should still practice safe sex for HIV/AIDS prevention or get tested at least once a year.
A total of 944 people were diagnosed with HIV/AIDS last year, which is 11.7 percent lower than 1,069 diagnoses in the previous year, and it is the lowest annual number since 2004, the CDC said.
The CDC on the Valentine’s Day yesterday reminded people to practice safer sex — use condoms correctly every time — to prevent HIV infection and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).
Photo courtesy of Public Health Bureau
The centers said its HIV/AIDS screening questionnaire showed that many of the newly reported HIV-positive cases had never gotten tested for HIV before, and the main reason was that they believed that they were not at risk of infection.
The CDC said it encourages people who are sexually active to get an HIV test at least once, and those who have sex without a condom to get tested at least once a year.
People with HIV-risk behaviors — such as having STDs, multiple sexual partners or engaging in sexual activity under the influence of drugs — are recommended to get tested once every three to six months, it said.
While taking pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is effective in reducing the risk of getting HIV and the number of hospitals with government-funded PrEP has increased to 103, PrEP does not prevent other STDs, the centers said, adding that practicing safer sex and getting regular tests are necessary.
Moreover, the CDC said it continues to expand the diversified HIV/AIDS screening, examination and consultation service channels, while promoting anonymous HIV testing to maintain privacy.
The number of designated HIV clinics have increased to 85, it said.
Aside from tests available at healthcare facilities, the CDC also has an HIV self-test program, allowing people to apply for a test kit from the centers’ Web site (https://gov.tw/D8C) and receive it at convenience stores, or purchase it from designated non-governmental organizations, local health bureaus, public health centers or one of the 79 designated vending machines, it said.
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