RIYADH, 2 December 2003 — Given a five-fold surge in reported AIDS cases in the Kingdom over the last 16 months, the Ministry of Health yesterday opened an AIDS clinic in the Riyadh Medical Complex as part of a program that has seen similar treatment centers in Jeddah and Dammam.

On the occasion of World AIDS Day, Dr. Nasser Al-Hozaim, assistant director general of parasitic and infectious diseases in the ministry, told Arab News almost 80 percent of patients are in the 15-49 age group.

Jeddah, which accounted for 41 percent of all AIDS cases, had the biggest share of infections in the Kingdom.

He said the ministry will launch an intensive education campaign through the media, targeting young people in particular. Several governmental organizations will participate in the campaign, including the Ministries of Information, Education and Labor as well as King Saud University. Health centers will hold seminars throughout the year, he said.

The Kingdom has seen a surge in AIDS cases from 1,509 in August last year to 6,787 cases at present, 1,509 of them Saudis. Some 600 Saudis have died of the disease.