Now the number of children in the town suffering from HIV-positive has risen to 18. Fifteen children had undergone laboratory tests. Twelve of them tested positive. The tests were conducted by the Peoples Health Initiative office. The physician concerned said, “We will double check them by conducting fresh tests.” He suspected that multiple use of syringes could be a cause of HIV infection. Another physician said five patients whose tests were conducted at a Karachi hospital had died of the disease. He said cases were also reported from some villages on the outskirts of Ratodero, adding the infected patients were from the poor segment. Recycling of used syringes has become a business in this area, he further said. According to him, other factors could be unsafe sex and transfusion of unscreened blood. A man, whose 16-month-old daughter died of HIV-positive, said a physician had advised HIV-/AIDS test when her temperature did not subside despite treatment provided by several physicians. Dr Safdar Abbasi, head of the AIDS Treatment Centre at the JPMC, Karachi, has held quackery responsible for the spread of HIV/AIDS. There has been much talk about transfusion of safe blood, the need to ban quackery and raising awareness about safe sex. However, the way AIDS/HIV is spreading in the province shows that much needs to be done towards these ends. There is also the need to work towards removing the fear surrounding HIV/AIDS that it is a deadly disease. It is no longer the case.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 29th, 2019.
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