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Safe sex the only solution to AIDS control

STD / AIDS Control Programme
Daily around 150,000 acts of unsafe sexual intercourse takes place in Sri Lanka, National STD / AIDS Control Programme Director Dr. Sisira Liyanage said.

According to Dr. Liyanage, generally over 95 percent of HIV infections had occurred due to unsafe sex and condoms play a major role when it comes to controlling this situation. Last year 230 out of 235 new HIV infections detected from Sri Lanka had occurred due to unsafe sex.
Unsafe sex can be between man and a women or between a man and another man. The best solution is keeping sexual relationship to one faithful partner, but it does not happen in today's society.

"Therefore the next best solution is using condoms. The world's best drugs for HIV/AIDS is available in Sri Lanka and these drugs are supplied to patients free of charge by the

Health Ministry," he said.

Health Education Bureau Director Dr. R.D.F.C. Kanthi said since sexual needs are biological, natural and a normal need of all human beings, the best way of protecting school children from HIV/AIDS is educating them with accurate facts on sex and reproductive health using the correct methods.

"It is the responsibility of all, especially the educational authorities," she said. The doctors were addressing the media during a press briefing held at Ramada Hotel, Colombo yesterday.