KABUL - The incidence of HIV is increasing in Afghanistan and Eastern Mediterranean countries, the Afghan Public Health Minister said Sunday. Suraya Dalil said that more than 1 million people worldwide died last year as a result of HIV AIDS and that amount is on the rise.

"In 2011, more than 1 million have died because of HIV AIDS all over the world. Illiteracy, poverty, lack of public awareness and travel to foreign countries are the main causes of the disease increasing," Dalil said at a ceremony marking World AIDS Day for December 1.

Afghan lawmaker Naqibullah Fayeq said unclean needle injections and the increase of drug addicts are the main causes behind its spread in Afghanistan.

"Drug cultivation and addiction and the drug injections are causing the disease to increase," Fayeq said.

More than 3100 HIV cases were identified in Afghanistan in 2011, including women and children, according the Ministry of Public Health.

The health officials urged all Afghans to test their blood for any possible infection of HIV AIDS in the HIV test centers launched in nine provinces of the country. (Tolo News)