Iranian Health Minister Implores Media, Youth to Curb AIDS Crisis

Mohammad Farhadi, Iran's minister of health, Sunday called the AIDS virus a "time bomb" set to "rip through" the country, Reuters Health reports. Although World AIDS Day is set for Dec. 1, Farhadi addressed a crowd last week to mark the event, as the scheduled day falls during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Farhadi said, "Only under the auspices of all sectors and entities, especially the (state) broadcasting organization, the judiciary and the younger generation, can we prevent the explosion of this bomb." An Iranian health official said there are 2,207 cases in Iran, with most patients contracting the disease through intravenous drug use, while independent health workers estimate the number at about 10,000 (Reuters Health, 11/27).