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Sex workers join Sri Lanka's AIDS awareness drive

Agence France-Presse - December 1, 2004


COLOMBO, Dec 1 (AFP) - Dozens of Sri Lankan sex workers Wednesday distributed leaflets and collected money to boost AIDS awareness in a campaign to mark World AIDS day.

Organisers said more than 100 women from the Sex Workers' Network helped raise money and also spread the message of safe sex.

Just over 500 Sri Lankans are reported to be HIV positive while 151 are living with full-blown AIDS, according to official figures. There have been 129 AIDS-related deaths.

Sri Lanka is regarded as a "low-prevalence" country, but activists say the numbers could be under-reported.

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