Daily Times

LARKANA: The blood samples of as many as 27 dialysis patients have been obtained again and sent to the Sindh Aids Control Program (SADC) in Karachi for reconfirmation whether they have been infected with the HIV/AIDS after getting dialysis at the CMCH Dialysis Centre or not.

The initial reports carried out at Elisa machine have confirmed the same, though. Chandka Medical College Hospital (CMCH) Medical Superintendent Dr Jawaid Ali Shaikh confirmed to media that fresh blood samples of the patients have been sent to Karachi, report of which will be received within a week.

Chemical engineer Fahad Malik has also arrived from Islamabad to check the machines and a team of World Health Organisation (WHO) is also expected to visit the centre, according to sources. SADC Provincial Program Manager Dr Younis Chachar visited the Dialysis Center of CMCH on Thursday after the news flashed that 48 kidney-failure patients have been infected with HIV/AIDS due to the non-cleanliness of the dialysis machines.

Dr. Chachar claimed that most of the patients get infected after carrying out their blood tests or unscreened blood transfusions at private laboratories.

He said that past medical record of the affected patients will also be checked to ascertain the reasons of the infection. Dr. Chachar further said that CMCH dialysis machines are auto-washed through a built-in system after every 35 minutes and as many as 150 dialysis patients are registered at this Dialysis Center.

He said the government will be informed about the unregistered blood banks and laboratories operating in Larkana that are conducive in spreading this deadly disease.

Meanwhile, an affected kidney-failure patient Abdul Khalique Shaikh from Darri Muhalla has procured a new personal dialysis machine and kept it in the Dialysis Center.

He said that after dialysis at CMCH he came to know two months ago that he is also infected with AIDS, so he spent Rs 1.1 million to purchase his own machine.

Sources added that all patients have received blood transfusion from Larkana and nearby districts where number of HIV cases is already at alarming level.

It is to be noted that SACP has completely failed to provide Viral Load Facility at Larkana despite that Dr. Chachar promised for it more than a year ago with Deputy Commissioner Larkana.