Marks the 30th anniversary of the Day with the theme ‘Know Your Status.’
TURBAT: Today, the World AIDs Day is observed internationally. This year, on December 1, marks the 30th anniversary of the Day with the theme ‘Know Your Status.’ And considering the recent statistics reported, the status of Balochistan doesn’t look good.
According to recent reports, the number of HIV/AIDS patients in the province has crossed the 5,000 mark. This is alarming. The report also found that around 71 prisoners incarcerated in different jails had been found to be infected with HIV/AIDS. Moreover, 6,200 lives have been claimed by the disease across the country, with 231 deaths in Balochistan alone.
This surge in the number of people diagnosed with AIDS begs the questions from our government departments: Why aren’t drastic measures being taken to curb the numbers? The Provincial Aids Control Programme in Balochistan alone has been unable to fully create awareness about HIV /AIDS.
While this is not to say that no work has been done at all, the efforts need to be more effective. Curbing the incidence of HIV/AIDS should be on the government’s priority list and no stone should be left unturned to achieve it.
Ayaz Umar
Published in The Express Tribune, December 1st, 2018.
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