The rate of HIV infection in Iran shows a 10% annual growth, according to Health Minister Hassan Qazizadeh Hashemi. “The increase is associated with the rise in high-risk sexual behavior in recent times while previously it spread through sharing infected needles,” he told IRNA. He stressed that stigmatization and lack of information and awareness are among the main causes of the spreading disease.
According to Health Ministry data, over 30,000 people are living with HIV/AIDS in Iran. Iran is committed to fast-track ending of the disease by 2030 along with the rest of the world as per a strategy introduced by UNAIDS, and the ministry is implementing programs within the framework of its fourth strategic plan on HIV prevention and control (2015-2019).
