Imran Zakir
KARACHI: Karachi has the most number of reported human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) cases in the entire province of Sindh, it emerged according to fresh data on World AIDS Day 2021, but ending AIDS is our realistic goal said by Dr. Ershad Kazmi when he was addressing the media on World AIDS Day, here Wednesday.
World AIDS Day globally observed on 1st December, Sindh health department in collaboration with UN AIDS ,CBOs and other stakeholders organized an awareness walk on Wednesday at Sea View, Karachi to create awareness among masses.
Speaking at the occasion Dr. Syed Ershad Hussain Kazmi, Additional Director CDC (HIV/AIDS) & Deputy Director General CDC, DG Health Services Sindh said that due to an abundance of quacks, IDUs, unregistered blood banks in the Province are spreading this Virus.
He stressed on the need of multispectral strategy that our two government organizations Sind HealthCare Commission and Sind Blood Transfusion Authority will become more efficient to shut quacks clinics and unprofessional blood banks. However, the government is working on curbing the reuse of disposable syringes and the Sind Government instructed all Government hospitals to purchase 80 percent of auto lock syringes for its stock, that’s proves its ownership.
He informed the media about unnecessary syringes used that Eight million syringes are used in Pakistan every year, which is the highest in the world. Discussing about the Future strategy of Sind health department he said that we are starting screening tests that will helps us to identify positive HIV cases in high-risk areas/Groups starting from new year, January including Karachi’s South and Central districts, Jacobabad, Garhi Khairo, Garhi Yaseen, Shikarpur, Ratodero, Larkana, Chak 70 Sanghar, and seven adjoining villages of Hyderabad and Matiari Our next step to launch an awareness campaigns about HIV in the educational institutes in Sindh, having campaign titled is “Test Karain, Status Janein” will start from Karachi’s universities and gradually expand to universities across the provinces.
Moreover, Dr Irshad Kazmi, said , Karachi city has even surpassed Larkana in the number of cases. Karachi’s Central district has 2,725 cases, more than any other district. There are 1,035 reported cases in district South, 998 in West, 907 in Korangi, 667 in Malir, 436 in Central.
Khairunnisa Khan, Director, Directorate of Nursing Sindh, Dr. Rajwal Khan, Operations Head UNAIDS also addressed the walk participants. Among others Shabana Baloch, Principle Lyari College of Nursing, nurse practitioner Farhana Tabbasum, Fozia Rafiq of NICH, faculty and students from Civil Hospital Karachi also attended.
While representatives of CBOs participating in walk including Sub Rang, MGD, GIA, Bridge Consultant Women Health welfare Organization and Humraz demanded from Sind Government to improve its reach and Penetration is not more than 10 percent. Walk started from MacDonald Sea View and culminated at floating restaurant.
