1200 HIV positive people in Belarus prisons

There are over 21 000 HIV-positive people, including 2100 prisoners, in Belarus, according to Aleh Skrypko, deputy chief doctor at the Minsk Municipal Clinic for Infectious Diseases, reports TUT.by.

The biggest number of HIV-positive people in in the Homiel region, followed by Minsk and the Minsk region. Men account for more than 60% of the total number of HIV-positive. In terms of age, around 90% are those aged between 15 and 49 years old. 

According to Skrypko, prisons are supplied with necessary medicines in the same way as the civilian healthcare institutions. 

Sexual transmission accounts for 64% of all HIV cases. It is followed by drug injections (34%) but this means of transmission is steadily decreasing.