Khairul Alam, Dhaka: The number of people living with HIV/AIDS in Bangladesh continues to rise, and there has been an increase in the number of patients seeking treatment.
However, there is no specialized hospital in the country for the treatment of this disease.
The only facility treating AIDS patients is the Infectious Disease Hospital in Mohakhali, Dhaka, where patients are admitted for care.
The hospital’s 40-bed capacity is often full, and many patients are forced to receive treatment on the floor due to a lack of available beds.
Patients seeking treatment for other illnesses often face complications. Some must wait for long periods for major surgeries.
Medical professionals are calling for the establishment of specialized hospitals for AIDS care to address these issues.
On December 1st, World AIDS Day is being observed in Bangladesh, alongside other countries, with the theme “When rights are fulfilled, HIV/AIDS will go away.”
The Ministry of Health has organized various events for the occasion.
According to the Health Directorate, AIDS treatment services are provided by the government, but private services are unavailable.
There are 27 centers across the country for HIV testing, and treatment is provided at 12 centers.
The Infectious Disease Hospital in Dhaka is the only facility where patients can be admitted for treatment.
Senior Consultant Ariful Bashar, who works at the Infectious Disease Hospital, said that the hospital treats complex cases, but due to the lack of beds, many patients cannot be admitted.
Furthermore, essential lab facilities for treating these patients are not available. When surgeries or heart procedures are required for AIDS patients, both public and private hospitals often refuse to provide care.
For these reasons, a specialized hospital for AIDS treatment is urgently needed.
Over the past year, the Infectious Disease Hospital has tested 2,486 samples, with 188 cases of AIDS detected.
Among them, 87 were homosexuals. In the past year, 29 patients have died at the hospital.
According to the AIDS control program of the Health Directorate, 1,438 new cases of HIV have been reported this year.
Of these, 42% are homosexuals, 24% are from the general population, and 10% are Rohingya refugees.
Additionally, expatriate workers, sex workers, drug users, and transgender individuals are also affected.
In terms of geographic distribution, 406 new cases were reported in Dhaka Division, 326 in Chattogram, 154 in Khulna, and 147 in Rajshahi.
Among the infected, 63% are aged between 25 and 49, while 21% are between 20 and 24 years old.
According to the Health Directorate, 195 AIDS-related deaths have occurred this year, with 77% being men, 22% women, and 1% transgender individuals.
Analysis of the Health Directorate’s data over the past five years reveals that the number of HIV-infected patients has more than doubled.
The rate of infection has decreased among sex workers, drug users, and transgender people, but has increased among homosexuals and expatriate workers.
The majority of infections in the general population are transmitted by expatriate workers returning from abroad.
According to estimates from the United Nations agency UNAIDS, there are approximately 14,000 people living with HIV in Bangladesh.
As of November 30 this year, 12,422 individuals have been diagnosed, and 2,281 have died.