"Now, the number of people suffering from AIDS exceeds 30 million in the world. In our country, as of the beginning of this year, there are over 7,000 people diagnosed with AIDS and registered since 1987. Of them, 78% are men," the report quoted Gulomjon Rajabov, deputy director of the national AIDS centre, as saying.

He said this was because more men than women tend to lead "unhealthy" lifestyle.

He also praised the government’s efforts to prevent the spread of the disease.

"The main factor leading to the spread of the disease is drug addiction. It should be noted that with the aim of preventing the serious illness, over 200 rooms of trust have been set up in the country. There, disposable syringes are distributed among drug addicts free of charge," he said.

The report also commended an anti-AIDS programme being implemented in Uzbekistan.