AIDS control programme

It is incomprehensible why public health issues are not paid the kind of attention they deserve. The whole thing is mind-boggling and disappointing. The latest such case is that the Punjab AIDS Control Programme is facing a crisis due to resignations of key officers. The resignations are said to have been caused owing to differences between officials serving under the programme. This state of affairs is severely affecting AIDS control in the province. The gravity of the situation can be gauged from the fact that 319 suspected cases of HIV/AIDS have been reported in the month of October alone in 20 districts of the province. Of the 319 cases, 295 cases (66.29 per cent) have been reported in Attock district. Lahore district was the second with 11.61pc followed by Multan with 7.59pc.

Experts fear that if the suspected patients were further tested for confirmation of the disease, 30 per cent of the total cases could test positive for HIV/AIDS. From January to September, only 129 suspected cases of HIV/AIDS were reported in 20 district of Punjab. The small figure for the first nine months of the year indicated that things were taking a turn for the better. However, resignations from key posts started to show their negative impact in a big way just in the following month. Now it is being feared that if remedial measures are not taken soon, the programme might be discontinued. Sources say officials who have resigned were doing two jobs in violation of rules. Other sources maintained that resignations were due to internal differences between officials serving under the programme. Under the programme, both screening and treatment are provided for free. So if the current situation is left unattended, it would result in difficulties for the patients.

It has also been reported that HIV Rapid Test Kits provided by the progamme have short expiry dates. Kits with the minimum of one-year expiry date are preferred.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 30^th, 2019.

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