The United Nations International Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the Angolan government on Monday jointly hosted an upgrading course on HIV/AIDS in Ondjiva, the capital of southern Kunene province with a view to improving HIV/AIDS diagnosis and assistance to the people.

At the opening ceremony, Candida Alcina de Jesus, coordinator of the National Institute of Combat to HIV/AIDS in the southern region, said the five-day training course aims at upgrading the professional level of the staff working at HIV/AIDS counseling and voluntary testing centers in the province.

"The course will enrich the medical workers professional knowledge to raise their quality of service given to the people living with the HIV/AIDS," he said.

At the training course, the health official said, the participants will also analyze topics such as the diagnosis of HIV/AIDS infection, prevention of vertical transmission, humanizing and service granted at health centers, women's health, stigma and discriminations, psychological aspects of HIV/AIDS, child feeding, among others.

According to the National Institute of Combat to HIV/AIDS, there are more than 400,000 people living with HIV/AIDS in Angola, accounting for 2.7 percent of the country's total population of 15 million.

(Xinhua News Agency July 28, 2009)