Wahab calls for effective AIDS treatment programme
Ashraf, living with the virus for the past 18 years, has two daughters who along with his wife are HIV negative. PHOTO: FILE
UNAIDS Country Director for Pakistan and Afghanistan Yuki Takemoto said on Tuesday that the AIDS Prevention Programme launched in Paris in 2014 has expanded to 350 cities of the world.
"With the signing of a memorandum of understanding with the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC), Karachi will become a city committed to eradicating AIDS," she said in a meeting with Administrator Karachi Murtaza Wahab at his office on Tuesday.
She said that the main objective of this programme is to adopt the modern methods for AIDS prevention prevalent in the world at present.
Takemoto said that the citizens of Pakistan and especially Karachi should be made aware to adopt the latest technology in the world to avoid this deadly disease.
Wahab said that the situation of HIV and AIDS in Pakistan and especially in Karachi is worrisome and immediate provision of modern and effective treatment under HIV/AIDS programme is essential.
Municipal Commissioner Afzal Zaidi, KMC Medical and Health Services Senior Director Dr Hameed Jumani and other officers were also present on the occasion. The Administrator Karachi said that the city administration is ready to sign a memorandum of understanding to protect its citizens from HIV and to implement state-of-the-art AIDS prevention facilities as much as possible.
The Administrator Karachi said that if there is a need for legislation regarding HIV/AIDS, treatment and prevention the government of Sindh will be on the forefront.
Meanwhile Wahab inaugurated the renovated Azam Football Ground in Cantt Bazar Shah Faisal Colony.
KMC Parks Director General Junaidullah Khan, DMC East Municipal Commissioner Wasim Soomro, PPP leader Javed Sheikh and a large number of area residents were present on the occasion of inauguration.
Wahab said it was a dream to build a football ground of three acres which has come true today and all the work of the ground is being done with KMC's own resources for the betterment of the people of Karachi.
"I hope that the children and youth of the area will be able to play football here in a good environment," he added.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 8th, 2022.