Georgia marks World AIDS Day with walk, concert
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An awareness walk and a special concert were held on Wednesday in downtown Tbilisi to mark the World AIDS Day.
Though rated by the United Nations as a low-prevalence country, Georgia has been making special efforts on rolling back the epidemic which has so far claimed 562 lives in the South Caucasus country.
In all, 2,645 HIV/AIDS cases have been registered in Georgia, of which 1,949 cases involved male patients. Most of these cases involve people aged between 29 and 35.
Georgia has formed a nationwide network in its campaign against the AIDS epidemic. The country adopted its state law on HIV/AIDS in 1995 and it just adopted a new law on HIV/AIDS last year. The country's 2006-2010 anti-HIV/AIDS campaign priorities included prevention, treatment, care and support, and national commitment.
Georgian first lady Sandra Elisabeth Roelofs now leads the country coordinating mechanism in the campaign against HIV/AIDS.
The authorities are aware that non-discriminatory and protective legislation can create a supportive legal and political environment for scaling up effective HIV/AIDS prevention efforts in the country, so initial steps have already been taken to revise the country's anti-drug legislation.
Georgia is currently working with the U.N. AIDS agency to form a new national strategy for 2011-2016.
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