(Bangkok)  The Public Health Ministry has made public the number of HIV/AIDS patients in 2011, saying over 10,000 new patients were found  last year alone.

According to the Public Health Ministry, over 1 million people were infected with the deadly disease in 2011, with nearly half still alive. The statistics from January to November 2011 shows more than 10,000 new patients.

25 percent of the patients are working people aged between 30 and 34, followed by people in 25-29 age range, who account for 22 percent. The tendency of people dying of AIDS has reduced from the past as the medicines and medical technology have improved.

The Ministry has set strategies for national AIDS prevention and resolution in the years 2012-2016, including reducing the number of new patients to only 6,700 in 2016, reducing the death of HIV patients down by allowing them better access to anti-virus, and improving their qualities of life. The Ministry has been providing free blood check to people twice a week at hospitals under the social healthcare program, which, therefore, enables new patients to receive treatments at early stages.

It has also been encouraging people in the society to treat AIDS patients with the same respect as with other people.

See the original news story on thainews.prd.go.th.