WHO team to visit Pakistan this month over HIV outbreak

According to sources, child specialists will also be a part of the WHO team

A team of experts from the World Health Organisation (WHO) are likely to visit Pakistan this month to help fight against the outbreak of HIV in Sindh particularly in the affected area of Larkana, sources said on Monday.



According to details, child specialists will also be a part of the WHO team.

“Child specialists will provide training to doctors and paramedical staff in Larkana,” said sources.

“Preparations to finalise the future strategy for tackling the outbreak of HIV in Sindh has also been made. In the future, long and mid-term plans will also be devised to fight with the disease.”

Sources also revealed that a meeting of donors funding is also likely to be convened in July.

On the request of the government of Pakistan, a 10-member WHO team visited Sindh a month ago.

Pakistan is a considered a low-prevalence country for HIV however, in May a report made headlines that hundreds of children and adults were allegedly infected by an HIV-positive doctor in Larkana.

The government soon took steps to investigate the outbreak of HIV AIDs in the district and Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Health Dr Zafar Mirza directed to provide all-out support to Sindh health department on an urgent basis.



It is important to mention here that more than 1000 AIDS patients were later reported only in Sindh. A huge number of HIV cases found in Ratedaro, a sub-division of Larkana, involve children. According to reports, used syringes contributed to the growing trend of HIV cases in Ratedaro.