Rafsanjan AIDS clinic 1996-2005: Problems faced and solutions found

Abstract

In response to the growing number of the HIV-positive patients in the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Iranian Ministry of Health and Education established several special clinics in all Iranian provinces to provide treatment and care to HIV-positive patients. The Rafsanjan AIDS Clinic is one such clinic that was set up in 1996. Running such a clinic is not without difficulties, given the nature of the infection and the stigmas associated with it. In this brief report we discuss some of the problems faced at our clinic and the solutions found to overcome them.