CityNews – Dr Wattana Nawacharoen, dean of the Faculty of Medicine at Chiang Mai University, presided over the opening of World AIDS Day at the Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University on December 1.
World AIDS Day is an annual global event held to set up campaigns to prevent the spread of AIDS.
This year’s event was hosted by the Faculty of Medicine and the Research Institute for Health Sciences, Chiang Mai University, and aimed to provide knowledge about HIV and HIV prevention including how people can live safely with HIV patients.
The event, joined by many students and residents, included exhibitions and posters providing knowledge about AIDS prevention, students dance competitions, free blood tests and HIV consultations, and other fun activities.
Souvenirs were also distributed at the event.
According to Dr Wattana, now the number of HIV patients across the world is around 35 million. In 2014, there were around 445,504 HIV patients in Thailand.
However, he also added that the number of HIV patients has reduced this year mostly due to developmental public health projects, fast and accurate diagnosis, effective HIV treatment, which could expand patient’s life.
UNAIDS, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, plans to fully prevent the spread of AIDS in the next 15 years.