UNDP

Since the middle of the 1980s, Iran, like most other countries in the world, has grappled with a growing number of citizens diagnosed with the Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). In a series of articles, we will be looking into the ways in which civil society organizations and activists have worked to bring more awareness to the disease, curb its growth, and work with governments to improve policy. In this first article, we will be providing a brief history and prevalence of AIDS in Iran.A 2011 report by the United Nations Development Program in Iran claims that HIV/AIDS was brought to Iran in two waves – the first wave in the mid-1980s and the second wave in the 1990s. According to the report, the first wave is attributed to transmission of the virus through blood transfusions of blood infected with the virus. The second was noted in prisons where unsafe practices led to infection.Over the past few years, though, the use of illicit drugs in Iran has compounded the problem. Almost 2.8% of Iran’s population are addicted to opiates.