Uruguayan Government Distributes AIDS Preventive Materials to Drug Addicts

As part of a plan to reduce AIDS infection rates among drug users, the Uruguayan government has started to distribute syringes, gauze with alcohol and condoms to drug addicts, said an official press release. The government will provide the syringes and preventive materials to 1,000 drug users in the capital city Montevideo until the end of this year. About 6,500 HIV-positive cases had been reported and more than 1,120 people had died from the disease by November 2002, according to Uruguayan health authorities. About one-third of the new HIV/AIDS cases were infected through the use of syringes. The syringe distribution in Uruguay is part of a regional AIDS campaign, which also covers Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Paraguay.

Back to other CDC news for May 14, 2003

Previous Updates | Search the CDC archive