False positive cases detected in second screening for HIV

Health secretary says quacks are major cause of spread of virus

HYDERABAD: Sindh Health Secretary Saeed Ahmed Aiwan claimed that the number of people tested with HIV positive has halved after all the patients underwent a second round of screening. "Initially, 225 people tested positive for the virus but in the subsequent test, only 113 were confirmed as HIV positive," the secretary told the media in Larkana on Friday.

According to him, among those 113 cases, 88 are children. Unofficial and unconfirmed reports suggest the number of HIV positive cases, screened since April 25 mainly in Ratodero taluka of Larkana, has risen to over 330 with 80% children. During the screening on Friday, 56 new HIV positive cases were registered.

"The presence of HIV virus in Sindh, particularly the appearance of so many cases in Ratodero, is very concerning," said Aiwan. He said that the Sindh health department was working in collaboration with national and international health organisations to deal with the prevailing situation.



He informed that he has asked the health authorities in Larkana and Ratodero to assign emergency duties to doctors in all government hospitals. "The cause of spread of the virus are the quacks and bad medical practices of some qualified doctors," said Aiwan, adding that sex workers and barbers were also responsible for the situation.

The secretary said that as a first step, the government is screening the people. This will be followed by further tests to confirm the initial reports. According to him, expert doctors from Karachi have been sent to Larkana to provide medical treatment to HIV and AIDS patients. 

Published in The Express Tribune, May 11^th, 2019.