On December 1st, 2010, Albania signs 41 new cases affected by HIV/AIDS and the total number of people affected by this virus in the country reaches to 406, among whom 85 have lost their lives.

Faced with this fact, Health Minister Petrit Vasili said that there is a decrease in the number of persons affected by HIV/AIDS compared to the previous year. He also added that they are trying to fight prejudice against this category of people.

“We should preserve total confidentiality and at the same time we should eliminate prejudice. A person who has been affected by this disease is equal to all other citizens. He also deserves the right treatment,” said Vasili.

Representatives of the Albanian association that takes care about persons affected by HIV/AIDS in the country say that during this year they have faced more difficulties in providing the medicaments they need. They say that there has been a mismanagement of funds, especially by the University Hospital Center “Mother Teresa”.

Meanwhile, Head of UNICEF in Albania said that prejudice against people affected by this virus exists all around the world. Nevertheless, authorities have taken different measures to minimize its effects.

Today, in Albania nearly 34 percent of the new cases are women and 21 percent are children, 16 percent of which have taken the virus from their mothers. Only 75 percent of the cases have been found by volunteer tests and 53 percent of them have now entered the AIDS phase.