Sudan Wins Prize for Highest HIV Infection Rate in North Africa and the Middle East

The UN has recently reported that Sudan is now the leader in HIV infections in any North African or Middle Eastern country. The western region of Darfur is particularly susceptible, not only because of the massive rape campaigns being carried out by the Sudanese government and the Janjaweed militias, but also because of commercial sex and no protection. Not only is the number of people with HIV in Sudan growing at a disturbing pace, but there is hardly any medical treatment for cholera or superficial bullet wounds, let alone for the highly regimented routine that is required when taking HIV medications. Further, the 21 year long civil war between the North and South of Sudan cut off the southern regions from access to HIV/AIDS treatment on any level for years. Now that the civil war is flaring up again, the situation is only becoming worse. (http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=56655&SelectRegion=East_Africa&SelectCountry=SUDAN)