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The Department of Health (DH) AIDS Hotline (2780 2211) has received more than 700 000 enquiries since 1993.

The user-friendly Hotline receives an average of 6 000 to 7 000 calls a month of which some 700 calls are received by the Hotline's councellors.

The DH AIDS Hotline Exhibition cum Sexually Transmitted Disease and AIDS Knowledge Exhibition will be held tomorrow (Friday) from 11:00 am to 7:00 pm at East Point City in Tseung Kwan O. The exhibition will be moved to Landmark North in Sheung Shui on October 10.

The Hotline was first established in 1985 by the then Medical and Health Department for answering public enquiries on all aspects of AIDS. It changed in 1993 to a 24-hour interactive voice response system in both Cantonese and English pre-recorded messages. Putonghua pre-recorded messages were further included in 1995.

The Hotline messages were revised in July this (1999) year to include more recent findings especially on treatment.

Callers can listen to the pre-recorded messages on AIDS / sexually transmitted diseases, or talk to a counsellor for HIV counselling and screening. Faxcimile copies can also be obtained.

In addition to the AIDS Hotline, DH's Special Preventive Programme also operates two other 24-hour Hotlines -- Dr Sex Hotline (2337 2121) and Hepatitis Hotline (2112 9911).

End/Thursday, September 30, 1999

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