Daily Times

Three HIV positive cases were detected at Taluka Headquarter Hospital (THQ) screening camp out of 54 people who were screened on Wednesday, bringing the toll to 936 out of which 770 are children and 166 adults.

The tested cases included two children and an adult, Sindh AIDS Control Programme (SACP) Manager Dr Sikander Memon told this scribe. He said so far 32,151 people among the general population have been tested for HIV, adding no case was detected in Naundero, Banguldero, Lashari, Pir Bux Bhutto and Garhi Yasin where 17 people came for screening.

Meanwhile, Brown University team which was expected to visit Larkana has postponed their visit due to lukewarm attitude of the Sindh government. Reliable sources told this scribe that the provincial government was afraid of getting defamed at the international level if the team came to visit the affected areas of Ratodero for supporting affected HIV positive children and their parents.

On the other hand, a letter sent to the Sindh health secretary also remained unresponsive. The National Programme Manager, National AIDS Control Programme (NACP), Islamabad, Dr Baseer Khan Achakzai, had written a letter (copy of which has been obtained) on July 5to the Sindh health secretary informing him in response to an intent letter by Dr Fizza Gillani, from Providence/Boston Centre for HIV Research, Department of Medicine, the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, USA for their visit and assistance to the current HIV epidemic arisen in Larkana.

Brown University team postpones visit to Ratodero due to lukewarm attitude of Sindh government

The letter said that the team consists of experts from various filed of medicine including HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases. The Sindh AIDS Control Programme (SACP) with assistance of NACP and with other partner organisation like WHO, UNAIDS, UNICEF, AKU and FELTP responded to the situation to a large extent which yield in surfacing a number of cases of HIV infected by various routes and means of spread of HIV. The letter further added that the Minister for State, Ministry of NHSRC with the consultation of Sindh Minister for Health & Population, made tremendous efforts to engage a number of national/international experts to assist the provincial program to curb the current HIV situation and also to make a better plans for future intervention.

Dr. Fizza Gillani and Dr. Timothy P. Flanigan along with their team of Brown university of USA have vast knowledge and expertise for addressing such epidemics and their research institute has many great works at their credits globally. It is therefore, the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulation and Coordination desired to warmly welcome the Brown University team to assist the Government of Pakistan and extend their support in all our endeavours to curtail in future such epidemics in Pakistan.

The NACP acknowledges the support of Brown University experts in delivering six webinars to educate healthcare providers about HIV disease, ranging from disease testing, disease management, treatment, co-infection and handling psychological issues in Larkana.

The letter further said that the team consisting of five members will be visiting Pakistan during 18-24th July, 2019 and meeting federal and provincial government authorities, for which you are requested that all necessary support may kindly be extended to the team with a coordinated plan of their visit to Larkana on July 24.