By Bae Ji-sook
Staff Reporter
The number of patients suffering from acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) is growing, but the government's management of them is poor. According to the Korean Center for Disease Control 2.1 persons were newly diagnosed with the disease each day this year. The number of recorded AIDS patients has reached 5,155. Among them, 938 have died and 4,127 are still living.
The center said that sexual contact was the cause of infection of 354 people. Among 330 males, 214 had sex with females while 116 had sex with males. All 24 females got the disease from men.
Although the number of patients is on the rise, social prejudice and discrimination is hindering people from taking an AIDS test and seeking medical treatment.
The number of those taking the test is decreasing every year. It was 26,629 in 2003 but dropped to 25,997 in 2004 and 13,593 in 2006. The Ministry of Health and Welfare said for people working in the hostess industry the test is strongly recommended, but they are avoiding it because of discrimination from family and society once diagnosed positive.
The center said that most important in dealing with AIDS is an early diagnosis. ``Just like hypertension or diabetes, people can survive with AIDS. If diagnosed in its early stages, you can maintain your life through medication,'' the center spokesperson said.
An AIDS activist said the government needs to specify its campaign to prevent AIDS. ``Currently, they focus on using condoms or having regular or a steady sex partner, but they do not teach people how to use condoms or how to react when their suggestion to use a condom is rejected, which is more practical,'' she said.
Meanwhile, the government is under fire for mismanaging people diagnosed with AIDS. Rep. Kim Hak-song of the Grand National Party said an AIDS patient was drafted into the military and did physical training for more than a month even though he was confirmed to have the disease. Kim said at least three people went through the service this way in 2006.
The disease control center said the Defense Ministry did not take its report seriously and did not call the Office of Military Manpower Administration to immediately exclude the infected.
Since AIDS is infectious through blood contact, AIDS patients are exempt from military service, where bleeding may take place.