Need stressed to end stigma against infected

National AIDS Control Programme manager says striving to prevent a generalised epidemic in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: National AIDS Control Programme (NACP) Programme Manager Dr Baseer Khan Achkzai Saturday said that nearly 150,000 people were living with HIV-AIDS positive in Pakistan, out of which 25,000 people were registered with NACP.

"We are striving to prevent a generalised epidemic in Pakistan by containing the spread of HIV-AIDS and elimination of stigma and discrimination against those infected and effected, "Dr Baseer said.

He said that responding effectively to HIV and AIDS will require a co-ordinated effort across a number of sectors. "It will require us to confront difficult issues and to work with communities to come up with strategies that particularly suit our environment, our culture and our religious values," Dr Basser said while talking to APP.



"In doing this, we cannot afford to shy away from the issues that we find uncomfortable or challenging. We are working to reach the goal and meet objectives."

He said that National AIDS Control Programme (NACP) was established in 1987. In its early stages, the program focused on laboratory diagnosis of suspected HIV cases, but progressively it began to shift its focus towards HIV prevention and control interventions.

He said that presently NACP and its provincial counterparts (PACPs) are implementing the programme throughout the country. The components of the programme are the interventions for target groups, HIV/AIDS prevention for general public, prevention of HIV/AIDS transmission through blood and blood products, capacity building and programme management.

He said that Injecting Drug Users (IDUs) are at higher risk of acquiring HIV/AIDS and other blood borne infections in Pakistan as they often resort to unsafe injecting practices such as needle and syringe sharing.

Dr Baseer said that number of drug users in Pakistan is estimated to be about 500,000, of whom an estimated 150,000 inject drugs. Recent biological and behavioural data on HIV clearly indicates a widespread concentrated epidemic among IDUs with highly prevalent risk behaviours such as use of non-sterile injecting equipment and physical contacts with other high-risk groups, he added.



He said that youth including street children are also vulnerable to risky behaviours that are associated with HIV spread.

He said that presently 33 HIV/AIDS treatment centres were working efficiently across the country besides prevention the parent to child transmission centres for pregnant women. He added there was an effective awareness programme on the issue.

Dr Baseer said that HIV testing was essential for expanding treatment and ensuring that all people living with HIV could lead healthy and productive lives. He said it was also crucial to achieving the targets and empowering people to make choice about HIV prevention so they could protect themselves and their loved ones.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 2^nd, 2018.