In the icy, antiseptic halls of Tehran’s Day Hospital, a man grabbed a fistful of hairs on the back of his head. It was hard to ignore him, as he paced back and forth muttering, “No, no, no,” under his breath. I had just witnessed a doctor inform the man that his pregnant wife had contracted HIV; this exchange occurred while I awaited a blood test to monitor my bout with mononucleosis during February 2005.
I’m now reminded of that scene as Dr. Parvin Afsar Kazerouni, the head of the Ministry of Health’s AIDS Department, has announced that all expectant Iranian mothers are to take HIV tests as of next year.
