On December 1, the Ministry of Health celebrated World AIDS Day, at the building of St. Domingos Sávio School in the Baucau district.

In his speech, the Minister of Health, Nelson Martins, spoke of the emergence of AIDS in 1981, and the fact that, to date, there is no cure for the disease. He said that it is a disease that exists worldwide, including in Timor-Leste, one which is deadly.

Nelson Martins also urged the Timorese citizens who may be infected with the virus, to make use of the health services for treatment, always counting with the support of the Government.

Mario Luna, representing the World Health Organization (WHO), made reference to the thousands of human lives cut short by this disease, causing an overall impact on society. He took the opportunity to ask caution to all in regards to the probability of contamination of the disease warning that WHO is ready to assist the Ministry of Health, with priority cases and in the fight against the AIDS virus in Timor-Leste.

The Baucau district administrator, António Guterres, pointed out that there are some people infected with HIV / AIDS in the Baucau community – this is the district that ranks third, after Díli and Maliana – telling the people that they can do the control test in health centers.

The data revealed by the media department of the Ministry of Health, through the National Commission for the Fight against HIV / AIDS (CNLS), indicates a total of 228 cases. Of these, 112 are men and 116 women, and the age of those infected is between 15 and 40 years.

The event was attended by the Minister of Health, the WHO representative, the Priest Father Domingos Pinheiro, the Vicar-General of the Baucau Diocese, the Baucau district administrator, the PNTL Commander of Baucau district, the commander of the F-FDTL , UN agencies, Caritas Baucau and the general public.