Greek Heroin Addicts to Get Free Condoms amid HIV Spike

Responding to a sharp rise in new HIV infections, Greece’s health ministry has announced an initiative to give free condoms and syringes to heroin users.

The state organization against drugs (Okana) and volunteer groups will hand out 30,000 condoms and 10,000 syringes through the outreach, which is launching in Athens.

Health reports have noted a 52.7 percent increase in new HIV cases from 2010 and a 1,250 percent increase in cases among heroin users.

In return for loans from the European Union and the International Monetary Fund, Greece has been forced to make drastic cuts in social spending during the past two years.

The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.

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