HIV/AIDS in Sudan

Before coming to Sudan I was told the number of people infected with HIV was low due to them being relatively shut off to the rest of the world. I have found that not to be quite true.

Working with a midwife in the Martha clinic in Yei we sent each pregnant woman to be tested for and counseled about HIV/AIDS. For six weeks the department that does the testing did not have any HIV tests, but finally this past week they did. On Monday we did 59 antenatal assessments. Two of the women tested positive for HIV. Now that isn't like South Africa or Malawi--but I would still call that a high infection rate. How very sad.

Pictured above is the building at the local hospital in Yei where they are referred for treatment with Anti-retrovirals or ART.