Daily Times

LARKANA: HIV/AIDS is spreading rapidly in Larkana and surrounding areas and the health authorities are not yet taking enough measures to check spread of this disease.

According to details, out of 1105 people whose blood was screened to find HIV positive people as many as 12 patients were detected positive which also included women.

The administrative officer Sindh AIDS Control Program, Dr. Safdar Abbasi, told Daily Times that 12 camps were established for four days from August 02 to 5, 2017 in various hospitals of Larkana district including Civil Hospital, Teaching Block & Shaikh Zayed Hospital for Women of Chandka Medical College Hospital (CMCH) in Larkana, Taluka Hospitals of Dokri and Ratodero, Rural Health Centers of Naundero, Banguldero, Garhi Khuda Bux, Khair Muhammad Areeja, Badah and Garello towns in which 12 patients were detected HIV positive.

He said all the positive patients have been registered and referred for further tests & treatment to HIV/AIDS Treatment & Care Center established in CMCH.

He said to find the positive patients such blood screening camps will be regularly established at all five districts of Larkana Division so that the affected patients could be found and provided treated.

He said HIV is a preliminary stage and affected patients cannot be called AIDS patients which is the last stage.

He said that infected patients will have to tell the truth to the doctors about how they caught the infection so that a proper treatment could be provided and the dreaded viral disease could be stopped from further spreading.

He said that HIV patients will also have to be serious in getting treatment so that they could also be able to pass their precious lives safely without affecting others including their life partners.

He said unsafe sex, usage of same blades and unscreened blood and other acts are the main reasons of spreading this dangerous viral disease in Larkana division, as well in other parts of upper Sindh.

Dr Hola Ram, Incharge, HIV/AIDS Treatment & Care Center, Larkana, said that the number of HIV positive patients is constantly rising, owing to the fact that people are unaware how this viral disease is spreading and affecting them.

He said that all treatment facilities are available at the Center including drugs which are being provided to the patients along with counseling ‘but we face acute shortage of medics, paramedics and other related staff to cope up with the growing number of patients.’ He said over 1700 HIV patients have been registered so far.

Published in Daily Times, August 7^th 2017.