HIV/AIDS cases post an uptick in Pakistan

Report of the health ministry shows a sharp rise in the prevalence rate of the deadly disease from 2005

ISLAMABAD: During the last 12 years there has been an alarming increase in the prevalence rate of HIV/AIDS among Pakistan’s most vulnerable groups.

A latest report of the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulation and Coordination, with the assistance of Global Funds, shows that there has been a sharp rise in the prevalence rate of the deadly disease from 2005 to 2017.



According to the study, the vulnerable groups include injecting drug users (IDUs), transgender sex workers (TSWs), male sex workers (MSWs) and female sex workers (FSWs).

The study, a copy of which is available with The Express Tribune, shows that among these four groups the highest increase in the prevalence rate of HIV/AIDs was reported among the IDUs – at 38.40 per cent in 2016-17 against 10.8 per cent in 2005.

The second highest rise was witnessed among TSWs which has jumped from 2005’s 0.8 per cent to 7.60 per cent in 2016-17.

Meanwhile, the prevalence rate among MSWs, which was zero per cent in 2005, stands at 5.2 per cent in 2016-17. However, the least amount of increase was witnessed among FSWs which stands at 2.20 per cent currently. The rate reported in 2005 among FSWs was at 0.4 per cent, stated the study.

The national manager of the AIDS programme at the ministry Dr Baseer Khan Achakzai, when contacted, termed the increasing trend in the prevalence rate as disturbing. He also added that under the national programme the government has so far registered 18,500 HIV positive cases.

Achakzai said, “Currently the most worrisome trend is that transgender have become a major reason behind the rise in the disease.”



He revealed, “There are a number of HIV positive transgender on the roads with whom the common man is having unsafe sex, which leads them to contract the deadly disease.”

Achakzai said, “At present Pakistan is entirely dependent on the financial grants provided by Global Funds for the provision of free treatment of HIV/AIDs patient.” He voiced concern that if the fund stopped giving grants then Pakistan will have no idea how to tackle the disease.

The national manager added that the situation is so grave that Global Funds had to increase its grant from $10 million to $34 million during the last three years, after the government made a special request to them.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 15^th, 2017.