DG Khan grapples with surge in HIV cases

The number of AIDS patients in Dera Ghazi Khan has reached a critical level, with 4,760 registered cases and an estimated 10,000 unregistered individuals.

The MS Teaching Hospital, led by Dr Abdul Rehman Amir Qaisrani, remains the sole treatment centre for AIDS patients in South Punjab. The facility has allocated a dedicated dialysis machine for patients and is establishing an operation theatre to enhance care.

The AIDS epidemic in the district continues to escalate. Across Pakistan, over 200,000 individuals above the age of 15 are infected, with 70% of cases linked to sexual transmission.

Contributing factors in Dera Ghazi Khan include the reuse of syringes by unqualified practitioners in rural areas and the absence of effective government awareness campaigns.

Despite the growing crisis, neither federal nor provincial budgets have allocated funds specifically for AIDS patients. Approximately 30 new cases are registered in Dera Ghazi Khan each month. Among the registered patients, there are more than 3,500 men, 1,260 women, children, and transgender individuals.

The Kot Mubarak area alone has reported over 200 patients, with more than 20 fatalities. Patients from surrounding areas such as Tehsil Kot Chatta, Choti, and Taunsa are also receiving treatment at the center.

Assistant Professor Dr Muhammad Haroon Bilal, in charge of the AIDS Center for 15 years, highlighted the social stigma surrounding AIDS.

"Society isolates those affected, which leads to many cases going unreported," he said. MS Dr Abdul Rahman Amir Qaisrani reaffirmed the hospital's commitment to improving care for AIDS patients in South Punjab.