Dr. Mohamed Reda Kammoun, head of the Tunisian association against sexually transmitted diseases (AIDS), said that the number of new cases of AIDS has reached 172, 70 of whom are Tunisians and the rest are from different nationalities who came to Tunisia and discovered their disease after having undergone the necessary tests in Tunisia.

He said in statements to Arabs Today that he died during the current year, 22 people, including 11 new patients who discovered their disease during this year and were not rescued because their cases were in very advanced stages.

"Since the discovery of the presence of AIDS in Tunisia in 1985, and so far, the number of AIDS's patients about 3,000 patients died of them 572, and the rest were able to coexist with the disease," he said, adding that of those infected with AIDS, 572 are women.

"The number of children who suffered SIDA, who are under the age of 14, is 115 patients," Kammoun said.

"One of the main causes of AIDS are sexual relations, drugs and then transmission of the disease from mother to child," he said, stressing that these cases did not exceed 5 cases among infants during the year.

Dr. Kammoun indicated the awareness programs to combat AIDS organized in cooperation with the Ministry of Health and UNESCO, aimed to raise awareness of the seriousness of this disease and how to prevent it and how to live with it.

He stressed the need for concerted efforts to reduce the risks of sexually transmitted diseases, especially AIDS, through raising awareness among young people.

He highlighted the role of pharmacists in educating citizens about the necessity of adopting the means of prevention of AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases for their daily and direct contact with citizens. In contrast, the number of people with AIDS is stable compared to the past three years.