LARKANA/DADU: The HIV positive cases are surging in Sindh as the number of registered patients has reached 1,755 at the Sindh HIV/AIDS Treatment and Care Centre. As many as 108 new patients have been registered since June 19, 2017. Larkana district tops the list with 810 HIV positive patients, Kambar-Shahdadkot 265 patients, Dadu 173 patients and Khairpur 168 patients. Shikarpur district has 87 HIV positive patients and stands fifth in the list at the centre. As many as 275 positive patients, including two transgender people and 55 women, have been registered in Larkana since January 2017. Last year, 445 people were registered out of which 89 were women and three transgender people. The centre has yet to be provided a Viral Load Test (VLT) facility despite having a number of patients). The SACP has been in the correspondence with the Aga Khan Hospital authorities to carryout VLTs, however, officials in the Health Department have revealed that they have demanded advance payment as it is not viable for them to wait for the bill to get passed until they get paid. The VLT is essential for proper treatment and at the moment all patients have to go to Karachi to get the test done, but a majority of patients cannot afford travelling and other costs connected with getting the test done. Out of the 1,755 patients, as many as 181 are suffering from Hepatitis C, including 164 men and 17 women. Around 22 patients have been diagnosed with Hepatitis B which includes 18 men, three women and one transgender. The data further mentions that out of the total registered patients as many as 914 people are between 18 and 30 years old, 485 between 31-40, 204 between 41-50, 72 between 51-60, 22 between 61-70, 42 below 18 years and 16 are children. Dr Hola Ram, who is in-charge of the cent2re, said that about 30 to 40 patients were being detected positive every month. He said that the centre was also in need of more qualified laboratory technicians. Villagers condemn police inaction: Residents of the Masri Chandio village organized a demonstration against the Borari police, in front of the Dadu Press Club (DPC) for not arresting the killers of Sajjan Chandio, who was killed by four armed persons over a property dispute a few days ago. The deceased’s sister Nusrat said that the accused persons named Rahmatullah, Rasheed, Saleem and Asghar were wanted for the murder but the police had not taken any action against them and they remained at large. Two girls drown: Two girls identified as Gresham, aged 9 and Fatima aged 8 drowned in an irrigation channel while bathing near the Pathan Kuris Patio village when they were swept away by strong currents. The incident took place in the jurisdiction of the Lakhi Ghulam Shah Police Station. Published in Daily Times, September 19th 2017.