The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will observe tomorrow World AIDS Day, which this year has the motto "Young people and the international campaign to combat AIDS." The Saudi health ministry is not only undertaking all precautionary health measures against AIDS, but is also providing information about its prevention. The health awareness department has prepared seminars, lectures, publications, leaflets and specialized mass media programs that focus on the dangers of AIDS.

Health Minister Dr. Osama Ibn Abdulmajeed Shobokshi today highlighted the importance of young people participating effectively in combating AIDS, saying this can best be done by adhering to Islamic Sharia. He stated that Saudi society, nurtured on Islam's deep-rooted principles, generates the optimum atmosphere for an awareness of healthy behavior for each individual, as well as every family and the whole community, and this enables everyone to avoid the sources of diseases that arise from irrational behavior, as is the case with AIDS. He reiterated the need to fight this dangerous disease and close all windows for its entry into the Kingdom, and referred to the precautionary measures undertaken by the Saudi health authorities. Dr. Shobokshi stated that Saudi Arabia was one of the first countries to ban the import of blood from abroad, and has implemented a number of programs within the Kingdom that offer incentives for blood donors. The Kingdom has also given support to specialized laboratories that are ready in the event of any reported AIDS case in the Kingdom.

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