LAHORE: The Punjab Aids Control Programme (PACP) tested 24,000 bus and truck drivers, 47,000 prisoners and 2,500 transgender persons in 2017. According to details, the Punjab AIDS Control Programme started mass screening of bus and truck drivers across the province in collaboration with Punjab Goods Transport Association. Initially starting from Lahore, camps were set up in 20 cities of the province and over 24,000 bus and truck drivers tested and screened for Hep B, Hep C, Syphilis and HIV/AIDS with free vaccination for Hep B and free treatment for Hep C. The sites were identified with support of the Punjab Good Transport Association based on travelling of the HTV operators. Based on the information, a GIS Mapping has also been made through analysis of epidemiological trends. Further, sms are used to remind drivers of vaccination schedule. Contact tracing and family tests are also conducted for people testing positive for HIV. The Punjab AIDS Control Programme has completed the first round of testing and screening of all jail inmates across Punjab and has tested over 47,000 prison population. The second round started in October 2017. In the first round, all jail inmates were screened and tested for HIV/AIDS, Hep B, C and Syphilis. Punjab Aids Control Program, Programme Director Dr Asim Altaf said that the PACP has set up a state-of-the-art BSL 3 Level advanced diagnostics laboratory that provides complete package of services and is equipped with latest flowcytometry machine, gene expert, CD4 Count Machine and has the capacity to perform viral genotyping or HIV Resistance testing for initiating or switching ART. He added that Punjab AIDS Control Programme had started Pakistan’s first-ever exclusive transgenders clinical Fountain House with free testing; free Hep B vaccination and free Hep C and syphilis treatment. A partnership was developed with Akhuwat Khawaja Sara Rehab Program for registration of new transgenders and agreement was inked for the starting of the Center, he said. Akhuwat Khawaja Sara Rehab Program was the single largest semi government program for the rehab of the transgender community. As part of the initiative, Khawaja Sara Community members of over 50 would already gather at Fountain House where Akhuwat would provide them stipend and medical support. The PACP signed the MoU and set up Clinic with dedicated team of lab and clinical staff there. Partnership was also developed with Khawaja Sara Society Punjab for registration and treatment of all transgenders in Lahore, Multan and Rawalpindi. So far, the PACP has tested and screened over 2500 transgender persons in Punjab and is also providing them HIV, Hep B, C and Syphilis treatment. Provincial Minister Primary and Secondary Health Khwaja Imran Nazeer said that the Punjab AIDS Control Programme had introduced a new project in partnership with Walled City Authority of Lahore, Akhuwat and TEVTA. The project was envisioned to support the dancing girls and their families and the partners have teamed up to synergize activities for shared objectives. The WCLA is running schools for vulnerable children and the PACP has set up testing centers in the same premises. The children are also given vocational training by TEVTA and the loans for livelihood are provided by Akhuwat, Pakistan’s largest microfinance organisation, the minister added. Three new centers have been set up at Taxali Gate, Delhi Gate and Karim Park for screening, testing and mapping of sex workers. The Punjab AIDS Control Programme has started partnerships with leading universities. Partnership with Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) was started for research, bio informatics and analysis of epidemiological data. Collaboration was started with HIV Center Florida University for technical review of complicated cases was also initiated. The university’s grand rounds of HIV testing are seen live at the PACP. The PACP provides scholarships to students completing MPhil and PhD in leading Pakistani universities. The scholarships range from Public Health to Psychology and from Bio Informatics to Molecular Biology. The minister said that the idea behind these grants was that the HIV epidemic and its response in Pakistan and local nuances were not yet well understood. The small grants scheme was designed to provide limited funding for such interventions/ research/ approaches and to facilitate investigation and analysis of emergent problems related to HIV/AIDS. These resources are primarily intended to enhance public- private partnerships so as to enable reduction in infections and in areas not already covered, while additionally building capacity of smaller NGOs in the field of HIV/AIDS, lacking support. The PACP opened center following reporting of over 2 dozen HIV cases detected in mass screening drive during Health Week. The center caters to local population. The Punjab AIDS Control has set up 15 treatment centers across the province. The PACP also provides support to the HIV center in Shaukat Khanam Memorial Center. There are 11 Voluntary Counseling Confidential Testing Centers working in Punjab. There are four centers for dealing with parent to child transmissions in the province. Published in Daily Times, January 6th 2018.