Larkana continue to top HIV positive cases list

Author: Jamal Dawoodpoto

Larkana continues to top the list of HIV Positive adult cases list, since the district recorded as many as 65 new HIV positive adult cases at the HIV/AIDS Treatment & Care Centre, Larkana, in the past ten months between May 2020 and March 2021.

In May alone, Larkana recorded 1,328 cases which now have increased to 1,393.

In this way Larkana district continued to top the list, followed by Kambar-Shahdadkot district trailing behind with 501 cases, and Dadu district with positive cases reaching to 341, Khairpur and Shikarpur districts with 249 and 224 cases respectively.

Jacobabad district has 114 cases, Sukkur 98, Kashmore-Kandhkot 62, Ghotki 37, Naushahro Feroze 96, Jamshoro 30, Jaffarabad (Balochistan) 23, Nawabshah 14 and Hyderabad 3.

Tando Allahyar, Khuzdar, Kharan and Jhat Pat, Matiari, Badin, Mirpurkhas, Quetta, Kalat, Pajghor, Sibi, Sohbatpur, Dera Bugti and Nankana Sahib also registered rising number of cases.

Out of 2,607 total HIV positive registered cases at the Centre, 1,860 are males, 598 females, 11 children and 38 transgenders, but out of these 2,507 as many as 2,216 are on Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART) and 216 are missing. Sources claimed that those missing have either expired or shifted to other treatment centres or have left the treatment in which is dangerous.

The sources, when asked as to why positive people of other provinces or districts are reaching here to get treatment, which costs them extra instead of going to the Centres nearby their areas, replied that positive people face worst form of discrimination and stigma in their areas; people continue to hate them despite the fact that they will not be infected even if they shared meal with the positive people.

They said a constant awareness campaign is a must across the province, but the relevant health department authorities have done nothing except hollow press statements and tall claims.

They said that an endowment fund of rupees one billion is yet to be released, which was announced by PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari in May 2019, for the affected children of Ratodero and their families, and they have also been denied inclusion in the Ehsas Kifalat Program of the federal government.

Dr. Imran Akbar Arbani said that the affected children should be given insurance policies immediately to save their future lives otherwise, he feared, another suicidal outbreak may occur in future of these children if they are not accepted by the society.