VIENTIANE, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- The number of new HIV infections in Laos has steadily climbed, partly due to lacking financial support from foreign countries, Lao Public Security Television reported on Monday.
Lao Minister of Health Bounfeng Phoummalaysith has told a national meeting on combatting AIDS that a lack of foreign funding support was one of the main reasons why the Lao health sector has failed to carry out any plans concerning HIV/AIDS, according to the report.
At the meeting, held in Lao capital Vientiane on Feb. 19, the Center for HIV/AIDS/STI under the Ministry of Health reported that 2,066 new HIV infections were recorded in 2023 in the Southeast Asian country, bringing the total number of infections to 20,688, with 7,059 having developed into AIDS. ■
