TEHRAN The latest reports published by the Health Ministry demonstrate that people have little information about HIV\AIDS in our society and that this is especially true among prisoners.

This disease is transmitted through sexual relations with an infected partner, through exposure to blood contaminated with the AIDS virus, or from an infected mother to her baby.

Gathering information about the exact number of infected people is very difficult because of the social stigma attached to this disease. Therefore, the number of people who are known to be infected is much lower than the actual number.

Intravenous (IV) drug users account for a high percentage of the infections. About fifty percent of this group are married, and they often infect their partners.

The health minister, in a statement directed to people in high-risk groups (IV drug users, promiscuous people, etc.), invited them to be tested for HIV\AIDS and said that all information would be kept secret and would not be disclosed.

Following this statement, 65,000 individuals referred to the treatment sectors, and the tests showed that about 510 people were infected with the AIDS virus, and that 900 people were infected with syphilis.

Dr. Yeganeh, the head of the committee against AIDS, said, "The triangle of AIDS, addiction and prison is an ominous one, and every angle of this triangle strengthens the other one. AIDS is not only a matter for health centers, all political, social, and executive officials are responsible to fight against it."

There is no cure for AIDS. The only way to prevent the spread of AIDS is through education. People must be taught about AIDS.

According to statistics published by the Health Ministry, since September 2000, some 2207 individuals who have been infected with the AIDS virus have been identified, 74 of whom are women.

Pointing to the prisons, officials say that the percentage of prisoners who are infected with HIV\AIDS is increasing due to addiction and IV drug use. The head of the prison institution said, "To avoid the entry of narcotics, we are using electronic devices. If we act negligently and take no care about this problem, we will face great financial and moral losses in society in the future."