Court summons secretary to explain

SHC summons secretary to justify provincial govt’s decision to end AIDS Control Programme launched in prisons.

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court directed the secretary of the Sindh finance department to appear in court on October 25 to justify the provincial government’s decision to end the HIV/AIDS Control Programme that had been launched in prisons.

It also directed the head of the project to continue providing medical treatment and screening facilities to inmates in prisons across Sindh.

Justice Amir Hani Muslim issued the instructions after the Planning and Development Department’s authorities said that the HIV/AIDS Control Programme has been halted by the finance department on the grounds that funds have been diverted for flood relief.

A human rights activist, Iqbal Kazmi, approached the SHC to issue directions to the Sindh government and the IG Prisons for providing treatment to prisoners who are suffering from AIDS and Hepatitis-C in the Karachi Central Jail. He stated that cases of under-trial prisoners and convicts suffering from these diseases were not being attended to properly.

“I cannot understand the wisdom behind it [halting the programme],” said Justice Muslim, adding that not providing treatment to someone suffering from a disease was against the person’s fundamental rights. “The IDPs can be rehabilitated but if an inmate who is suffering from HIV/AIDS is not provided medical treatment, he will die,” he said.

The court also ordered the health secretary and the head of planning and development department to attend court on the next date for their versions.

The hearing was adjourned till October 25, 2010.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 1^st, 2010.