Daily Times

As many as 225 new cases of HIV were detected while screening more than 5,000 people during the first 10 days of blood screening camp in Ratodero, officials – requesting anonymity – revealed on Wednesday.

Moreover, Health Department officials have been ordered to stop releasing data to the media, considering the increasing number of patients. According to sources, almost 80 percent of the infected patients were children aged between three months and five years. Previously, information was shared with the media on a daily basis regarding the outbreak and detection of new cases, but now the health workers are facing serious pressure from the higher authorities. According to sources, they have been warned against leaking data to the media if they wanted to keep their jobs, which shows that the government wanted to tamper with data and hide important facts. Sources said that 521 people were screened on Wednesday, of which 36 were found to be HIV positive.

Asadullah Soomro, father of two HIV positive children, told the media that despite detection, no one was providing treatment to his children. He said the doctors in Ratodero had referred them to Larkana, probably because of shortage of drugs. Source said that three camps were set up on Wednesday – one for men and two for women and children. They said no written report was given to anyone at the camps.

Meanwhile, there was a serious lack of facilities for visitors at the camps amidst soaring temperatures. A 60-year-old woman – identified as Khanzadi, wife of Noorullah Lolai – fainted at one of the camps and had to be hospitalised. Separately a woman brought her seven-month-old son Hazar Lashari to a camp for undergoing tests, but he died before the tests could be performed. When the media reported the death, Member of Provincial Assembly Faryal Talpur took notice and sent her media coordinator Ghulam Mustafa Laghari to the camps. After taking stock of the situation, he told the media that such incidents were taking place due to congestion amidst hot weather conditions. He said that around 2,000 people attended the out-patient departments (OPDs) on Wednesday, and added that arrangements would further be improved to facilitate the masses. He urged the people not to panic, and assured that every one of them would be provided proper treatment. Despite repeated calls, Sindh AIDS Control Programme Manager Dr Sikander Memon was not available for comment despite the fact that he had been appointed the focal person for the media.

Meanwhile, a court extended the physical remand of Dr Muzafar Ghangro – the physician everyone blames for the spread of the disease in the area – for three days. Talking to the media, Dr Ghangro said he should be allowed to get his blood tested for HIV from any reputable laboratory, as he did not trust the police.

Meanwhile, the Health Department Special Secretary verbally transferred Dr Ayaz Shaikh, only child specialist posted at Rural Health Center (RHC), Naudero, and posted him at the Paeds Medicine Department, Chandka Medical College Hospital (CMCH), Larkana, ignoring the fact that large number of HIV positive children continue to surface in Ratodero. Dr Ayaz examines more than 300 children on a daily basis; all coming from Naudero and its adjoining villages. On hearing the news, parents held a protest demonstration outside the office of RHC Medical Superintendent Dr Gul Muhammad Hakro, demanding the authorities to withdraw the transfer orders, as they did not want their children to be treated by quacks who have found to be spreading deadly diseases.