************************************

A new Government Announcement in Public Interest (API) will draw public attention to the risks of contracting AIDS through needle sharing and unprotected sex.

The API, to be screened on local television stations from today (Monday), is part of the Government's campaign against AIDS.

The scenario of the API was about a man who became infected with the HIV virus through sharing needles and unprotected sex. His wife also became infected with the disease. When his wife became pregnant, there was the extra worry that the disease might be transmitted to the baby.

The API ended with the shot of a regretful man and the message about a price too high to pay.

A total of 213 persons were found positive in HIV antibody tests in 1999, bringing the cumulative total number of reported HIV infections to 1,359.

Sixty-one AIDS cases were reported in the same year, bringing to 433 the total number of confirmed AIDS cases.

A Government spokesman noted that although the number of reported cases of injecting drug users infected with HIV has been small, the number was nevertheless on the increase.

Members of the public can make use of the AIDS hotline 2780 2211 to obtain a list of substance abuse prevention, treatment and rehabilitation service agencies.

End/Monday, February 21, 2000

NNNN