Iranian schools raising social awareness towards HIV

The official number of people diagnosed with HIV positive is now 11,000 showing a %100 increase in one year. A poll taken among students  in 4 areas in Tehran and 4 province centers show that 94% of boys and %87 of girls agree with an obligatory HIV test for a marriage license. Iran's ministry of health has been leading an educational program nationwide under supervision of International Red Crescant (Helal Ahmar) in order to introduce public with dangers of this AIDS. The issue is a still a taboo among some conservative countries. However because of the sensitivity of the matter and the fact that girls between ages 14 to 24 are the most vulnerable group, it has taken broader attention. Posters, ads and leaflets have been distributed in nationwide mostly emphasizing family values and fidelity as the most effective way to counter HIV.
During the current educational year more plans are on the way regarding this issue. Some involve training teachers and parents in courses arranged regularly in school districts although a separate budget for preventing AIDS has not yet been dedicated. However 800,000 health assistants in schools will be provided free booklets regarding general health and hygiene issues.
The worldwide approved method for fighting HIV is known as ABC (Abstinence, Be faithful & Condom) simple enough to be used in the US. Some countries, specially in Africa continent are suffering very high rates of infection. Congo & Ethiopia for instance have each reported over 1,000,000 cases. According to some schools of thought based on religion and social ethics, this virus is the natural outcome of disregarding orders of God.

Tomorrow Tehran Time : Morning Azan: 5:13, Sunrise: 6:39