KATHMANDU: The 22nd World AIDS Day was observed by organising awareness programmes across the country with the theme of 'universal access and human rights' today.

According to government statistics, 14,787 people contracted HIV as of mid-October in the country, which recorded its first case in 1988. While, 13,000 infections were confirmed by World AIDS Day 2008.

However, UNAIDS estimates that more than 75,000 people are living with HIV in Nepal. According to United Nations, female sex workers and their clients, injecting drug users, men who have sex with men and migrant workers, among others, are more vulnerable to the disease. Around 71 government and non-government bodies are actively participating in anti-HIV drive. An estimated 5,000 lives have been attributed to AIDS.

A large number of men who buy sex are married, making them potential source of HIV spread among the people in general. Poverty, low level of education, illiteracy, gender inequalities, marginalisation of at-risk groups, and stigma and discrimination compound the epidemic's effects. UNICEF reported that street children were also one of the vulnerable groups.

Delivering a televised message to mark the day, Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal urged government/non-government organisations, private bodies, media and the public to help the nation combat the disease.

"All-pervasive spread of the disease has badly hit public health, affecting socio-economic sectors in the country, which is in need of adequate resources and health education," he said.

The PM also explained that the cases of HIV/AIDS could be higher than the government statistics.