70.9 years in 201568 (BBS, June 2016) with 70.3 years for male and 70.9 for female 69. This said, further efforts will be needed to enhance available health services in the extremely poor pockets in the country. Health services must be made affordable and easily accessible. 61. The Commission notes with appreciation that efforts on immunization against six preventable diseases (tuberculosis; diphtheria, pertussis, and tetanus; polio; and measles) has continued unhindered. Overall, 78 percent of children age 12-23 months had received all the recommended vaccinations before their first birthday 70 . Further efforts will be needed to reach universal coverage in the country and the services must be ensured to both children born from marriage and otherwise have access to these services. 62. Besides, the prevalence of HIV/AIDS incidence stands at 0.1 per cent which is far below epidemic level. Total 3,674 HIV positive cases have indented as of 2014 and among them 1,417 cases developed AIDS. 653 deaths have been recorded 71. The Commission notes with concern that patients suffering from HIV AIDS do not seek treatment due to stigma attached to it. The Commission recommends that specific efforts are needed to address this issue and a sensitization campaign to remove the stigma against the HIV patients is vital. In addition, the Commission is currently drafting a law on anti-discrimination and potential discriminations based on the ground of health including HIV patients have been addressed in this draft. 63. Bangladesh has made commendable progress in increasing equitable access to education, reducing dropouts, and implementing a number of quality enhancement measures in primary education. Bangladesh has already achieved gender parity in primary and secondary education at the national level. Currently more girls than boys are enrolled in primary and secondary education. The net enrolment ratio in primary education in 2014 was 97.7 percent rising from 60.5 percent in 1990 (girls 98.80%, boys 96.60%)72 and in 2016 was 97.96 percent (98.80 girls, 97.01 boy) 73. One of the key findings of a study is, in education, the gender parity is strongly tilted in favour of girls. Girls are participating more, and better, in primary education; for instance, more of them are reaching grade 5. While the positive gender parity index in primary education is evidence of successful efforts in this area, starting from age ten, the opportunity cost of sending girls (and boys) to school increases with their age. 64. It is not only poverty that plays a hand in gender inequalities but also the intricate connections of cultural and social influences and practices. 74 Despite Bangladesh has reported in achieving gender parity in primary and secondary school enrolment a study report finds: “The overall dropout rate for both boys and girls has decreased significantly 68 BBS, June 2016: http://www.bbs.gov.bd/site/page/ BBS, June 2016: http://www.bbs.gov.bd/site/page/ 70 Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS), 2014 71 National AIDS/STD Programme (NASP), 2014 72 General Economics Division (GED) Bangladesh Planning Commission Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, The Millennium Development Goals: Bangladesh Progress Report 2015, September 2015, page 35. at: http://www.plancomm.gov.bd/wpcontent/uploads/2015/09/MDGs-Bangladeh-Progress-Report_-PDF_Final_September-2015.pdf 73http://dpe.portal.gov.bd/sites/default/files/files/dpe.portal.gov.bd/publications/b490814d_522e_4f81_b0a0_8f8727feab27/Final %20APSC%202016,%2029%20December%202016.pdf 74 A Perspective of Gender Equality in Bangladesh, UNICEF Bangladesh, September 2011, Executive Summary, page 6, 7: https://www.unicef.org/bangladesh/knowledgecentre_7312.htm 69 20