News Analysis |
The health minister made it clear that every prison in the province must have a Rehabilitation Centre. Prisoners with HIV AIDS and TB must be facilitated in separate barracks. Vacancies of doctors in all prison hospitals must be fulfilled soon, furthermore, psychological services are very important for the patients of HIV AIDS and hepatitis, the minister stated.
She also emphasized that strict action against quacks must be ensured in all districts and a task force on drug addiction must be suggested. She further explained that a comprehensive awareness campaign should be launched in all educational institutions. Punjab Healthcare Commission has taken action against more than 50 thousand quacks. Registered HIV AIDS patients have the free facility of medicines and treatment.
Health Department and Health Care Commission, with the support of District Administration, have sealed unauthorized laboratories, blood banks and clinics which were being run by quacks.
Punjab AIDS control program is running 18 treatment centers in Punjab. Blood Transfusion Authority, Districts Health Authorities, Infection Control Program, Hepatitis Control Program TB Control Program, Narcotics Control and Donors with health department are also helping for the eradication of HIV AIDS, ensuring the screening of all prisoners in prisons of Punjab.
HIV Cases in Sindh: The Question of Seriousness
Recently, there has been a significant rise of HIV positive cases in Sindh however; the provincial government has made all attempts to cover the story up. There has been no comprehensive strategy to deal with the disease which is spreading at such a rapid rate. A report by the Director General (DG) Health Sindh, Dr Masood Solangi, on the spread of the HIV in Larkana’s Rotodero district has revealed startling facts.
Read more: Doctor held for ‘spreading HIV’
According to the report, over 14,000 people in the Rotodero district were screened, out of which 534 tested positive for the HIV virus. Of these patients, 270 were female and 264 male. The age group distribution revealed that the most affected were between 2-5 years, with 294 (55.05%) cases, followed by age group 6-15 years with 100 (18.7%) cases.
According to the Program Manager of Sindh’s AIDS Control Program, Dr Sikander Ali, the prime reason for the spread of the virus was due to the reuse of syringes at local clinics and districts health hospitals.
DG Health Dr Masood Solangi further said that screenings are going on at THQ Hospital Ratodero by SACP. It is feared that more cases of HIV may appear as the screening goes on. Experts opine that since the population is of a larger scale and fake doctors generally do not care about used or new syringes in local hospitals, it may cause a great loss.
Read more: UN, WHO & UNAIDS join hands with Pakistan to combat HIV…
Health Department and Health Care Commission, with the support of District Administration, have sealed unauthorized laboratories, blood banks and clinics which were being run by quacks. “Soon we will Establish HIV/AIDs ART Treatment Center at Shaikh Zaid children Hospital Larkana,” added Dr Solangi.