Over this year, more than 100 people have been infected with AIDS according to the National Program for Combating AIDS and other Sexually Transmitted Diseases. This number is to be added to the nearly 2500 cases registered over the years.

However, most health experts hold that official statistics do not reflect the reality of AIDS in Yemen because they have been registered in public hospitals and central labs when coming to make medical tests or to donate blood. 

Official statistics put the number of AIDS-afflicted patients at 2266, of those 1649 cases of HIV infections and 617 cases AIDS patients.

According to the program's specialist Dr. Yassin Abdul Warith, most HIV/AIDS registered cases are from the governorate of Aden, Sana'a, and Hodeidah, relating this to the existence of clubs and hotels where adultery and open sex is practiced.

Dr. Abdul Warith further hints the actual figures are higher than those registered in the Ministry of Health, as one could multiply the figures by ten in order to estimate the magnitude of HIV/AIDS in the country, mainly due to the lack of surveillance and reporting in Yemen.

"The total number of HIV/AIDS infected persons registered in the Ministry of Health does not reflect the reality and it is only of those people who came by their own desire, and the immigrants coming back to Yemen with HIV/AIDS," he said

He added that people with HIV/AIDS infections can't reveal their affliction, fearing the passive attitudes of those living around them.

"They will get life long shame if people heard of their conditions and the matter becomes worse if they have sons and daughters in a society like that of Yemen", he added.

While it takes years for someone who is infected to develop symptoms, doctors across the nation are required to report cases with HIV if found.

" The likelihood is that the increased numbers represent a clearer picture of what has been there for the past few years," Abdul Warith maintained.

Clinical &Nursing Care Unit at the AIDS Control Program, Dr. Mayadah Faisal Nabih claims that the percentage of  those infected with AIDS among males is higher than female counterparts. Such a claim is based on the accounts during the medical examinations through which males are exposed to, when donating blood or traveling abroad.

"Men are unafraid; when doubting they have HIV, they go for having a medical test", she noted. "After many HIV/AIDS infected persons heard that the Aids Control Program offers tests and treatment for free to AIDS patients along with complete secrecy and confidentiality, many cases came to receive treatment in the center."

She added that the AIDS Program at the Ministry of Health is aiming to join the global World AIDS Day Campaign that calls for the rights of HIV/AIDS infected persons to work and receive treatment in order to stand against shame and discrimination.

The UN Report on AIDS reported that the percentage of people living with HIV has come up and the number of new infections has dropped off, prompted by the active role of  the HIV program. About 33.2 million people were estimated to be living with HIV, while 2.5 million have newly caught the disease and 2.1 million died because of AIDS over 2007.

Advisor on HIV/AIDS at UNICEF in the Middle East and North Africa region George Ionita points out that with a 0.7 percent HIV prevalence, Yemen has the third highest HIV rate in the region, just after Sudan and Djibouti. Official data recorded only 960 HIV positive cases until the end of 2000.