Сomposition of thousands of begonia flowers in Botanical Garden intended to draw attention to HIV infection problem

27 мая 2022
A symbol of memory and solidarity with people affected by HIV infection. A red ribbon appeared in the territory of the Central Botanical Garden of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus. The representatives of the Ministry of Health, WHO, UNDP and partial citizens joined to planting of a symbolic flowerbed. The composition of thousands of begonia seedlings is intended to draw public attention to the spread of the infection and people with positive status. There are about 24 thousand of them in Belarus. Today it is a controlled chronic disease. We have managed to bring it under control by widely introducing a self-testing system. In recent years the number of positive tests has decreased.

Alexander Tarasenko, Deputy Minister of Health, Chief State Sanitary Doctor of Belarus:

"It is decreasing not because of the number of tests decreased, but because of the fact that the work that was carried out earlier is bearing fruit. We are working to make sure that 85% of people knew their HIV status".

 The International AIDS Memorial Day is traditionally held all over the world on the third Sunday of May. More than 36 million people have died on the planet since the first case was diagnosed.