Estimated worldwide HIV infections: 59 988 769 at noon on Wednesday November 17 2004.
Singapore will not sponsor a ‘publicity blitz” to promote condom use ‘out of respect” for residents who hold ‘conservative views”, a senior health minister, Balaji Sadasivan, said.
Sadasivan announced last week that if efforts to fight the disease are not implemented, the number of HIV cases will reach more than 15 000 by 2010. ‘Sexual behaviour is a private thing … It’s not discussed in polite society,” he said.
Action For Aids criticised the government for not publicly promoting condoms. ‘We need a massive campaign to let people know that it is all right to use condoms. We need to de-link condom use from promiscuity,” AFA vice-president Brenton Wong said.
Source: Kaiser Network