http://www.english.hadhramaut.info Total AIDS cases in Yemen up to 30,000 cases, official says [The Source: SANA'A/hadhramaut.info/sabanews.net - 20/04/2011] A press symposium was kicked off here on Wednesday to review Yemen's part in the United Nations report on HIV (AIDS). The symposium is organized by Yemen News Agency (Saba), the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and the United Nations Information Center in Sana'a in cooperation with Ministry of Public Health and Population. Director of the National Program on AIDS at the Ministry of Public Health Dr. Abdul Hameed al-Suhaibi referred in the symposium that the latest estimates indicate that the total AIDS cases in Yemen up to 30 thousand cases including injured, people living with the disease and hidden cases.Dr. Al-Suhaibi reviewed a report on the Ministry's efforts over the past years to raise the level of health support in this aspect, pointing to the challenges in this area.At the opening of the symposium, Chairman of board of directors of Saba Tariq al-Shami affirmed the need for continuing work to raise awareness on AIDS, noting the progress made by Yemen to give people living with the disease their human rights.Coordinator of the UNAIDS Dr. Fawzia Ghramah made clear that Yemen has taken great strides in the fight against AIDS over the past years, and it was among the first countries to enact a law to protect the rights of people living with the disease.The participants in the symposium confirmed the importance of media role in raising awareness on AIDS.In addition, the symposium reviewed two live experiences of people living with AIDS and the difficulties they face in the public life and their integration into society.