Healthcare crisis: The year of epidemics

The year 2019 saw an upsurge in infectious disease across the country

ISLAMABAD:

Where Pakistan has had a history of recurrent infectious diseases, the year 2019 experienced a record increase in cases of AIDs, Polio, and Dengue which took the country by storm. The past year, a Lancet study had placed the country at 154 among 195 countries in terms of quality and accessibility of healthcare but local statistics suggest it’s only been downhill from there.



In the current year alone, there were as many as 51,670 cases of Dengue virus across the country, out of which 88 resulted in death. The highest prevalence of the disease was in Sindh which registered 14,814 cases and 39 deaths. Similarly, Punjab registered 9,995 cases and 23 deaths, while the provinces of K-P and Baluchistan registered 7,068 and 3,383 cases of Dengue respectively, out of which three succumbed to the disease. Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) registered 1,690 cases and one death, while 1,455 cases of Dengue were recorded across tribal areas and other parts of the country.

A Reuters file photo of a child receiving polio drops.

Although HIV/AIDS cases are gradually declining around the world, a report by UNAIDS suggested a drastic upsurge in AIDS cases in Pakistan; placing the Islamic Republic on a list of 11 countries with the highest prevalence rate of the disease. According to the National AIDS Control Program, the number of patients diagnosed with HIV/AIDS at the end of 2018 stood at 23,757 out of which 15,821 were receiving treatment. In 2019, the total number of AIDS patients registered in the country has surpassed 36,990 while the estimated number of AIDS cases stands at over 165,000.  Alarmingly, 895 of these cases were reported from the village of Rata Dero in Sindh, where 754 out of the 895 people who tested positive for HIV/AIDS were children; putting the country in the wake of an AIDS epidemic.



Pakistan is one of the three remaining countries around the world where Polio is still categorized as an endemic viral infection. As of December 2019, there are 123 cases of Polio have been reported in Pakistan– the highest in past five years. Out of the total, there were 111 cases of Type-1 Polio and 12 cases of Type-2, which is disconcerting considering the latter was said to be eradicated from the country in 1999. As per the Polio Control Program, there were 79 reported cases across 12 districts of K-P, 17 in Sindh, nine in Baluchistan and six in Punjab. Although the World Health Organisation had announced the world to be free of type-2 Polio some four years ago, there were six cases of the disease registered across K-P, four in Gilgit Baltistan, one in Islamabad Capital Territory and one in Punjab.

A Reuters file photo of HIV/AIDS testing.

Speaking to The Express Tribune about the surge and resurgence of these infectious diseases, Special Assistant to Prime Minister for Health, Dr Zafar Mirza said that government is working with global organisations to take action against the spread of diseases like Polio, AIDS, Dengue and Hepatitis. “We’re working on improving governance and heath infrastructure in the health sector, hopefully, that will improve the overall health conditions in the country.”

According to Dr Mirza, research suggests that unsafe injection practices are the leading cause of HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis C spreading in Pakistan. “Although distressing but the case of children testing positive for HIV/AIDS in Rato Dero has to do with the use and reuse of intravenous injections and unsafe blood transfusions.”  Dr Mirza further revealed that the government has set up a National Task Force and they have devised a strategy to address the AIDS epidemic. “The government has decided to ban the manufacture and import of disposable syringes, considering almost 55% of injections are used unnecessarily in the country.”

The federal minister further added that Pakistan is also striving to eradicate the Polio virus after its resurgence and has joined hands with global organisations to expedite the matter. “All governmental and non-governmental bodies need to play their role in the eradication of this potentially deadly disease and it is only joint efforts which can make Pakistan polio-free.”