Regional Manager at the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria, Ms. Hind Khatib-Othman arrived to Sana'a last Saturday.

In her visit, Othman met several Yemeni officials at the Ministry of General Health and Population, and was briefed about the achievements made over the last few years in the fields of malaria, tuberculosis and AIDS combating.  

She told media that her visit came in preparations for implementing anti-malaria campaign and hinted that her fund is financing several health projects in Yemen, particularly in Hodeidah. These projects are meant to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.

Though the country is achieving progress as for treating and reducing the number of tuberculosis cases, the matter is not so with AIDS whose patients are not recognized by society.

Very few AIDS-afflicted patients inform about their cases, fearing people will look down upon them, especially when the disease is still unrecognized by the Yemeni society.

About 60 percent of Yemen's population is at risk from malaria and the disease is one of the biggest health challenges for the country, whose population is estimated to be 23 million people.