There has been an increase in the number of AIDS patients registered at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims), compared to last year.
Dr Rizwan Qazi, head of the Pims Centre for Treatment and Prevention of AIDS said 237 HIV-positive patients were registered last year, while 148 patients have been registered in the first six months of the year. If the trend continues, the hospital may receive around 300 patients this year. In 2012, 257 cases were registered. The total number of HIV-positive patients registered with the centre since its establishment in 2005 has reached 1,831 with 10 deaths reported so far.
“It is difficult to say that the increase in the number of HIV-positive patients is a good sign. It reflects that people are becoming aware of the disease but at the same time it is also a major cause of concern.”
Pims receives AIDs patients from across the country, of which 90 % are male and are intravenous drug users (IDUs). The majority come from Punjab province, he said. “The most unfortunate thing is that their spouses test positive for HIV because of them.” Some of their wives are unaware their husbands are infected and when they come to know about it, they get shocked and depressed, he added.
Speaking to The Express Tribune, an official working with National AIDS Control Programme (NACP), who wish not to be named said that earlier Pakistan was at low prevalence, high risk, but now it is in the concentrated phase of the HIV epidemic. According to a study conducted by the UN-AIDS Programme in 2012 revealed that 160,000 people are living with HIV in Pakistan, he added.
“Many IDUs are not aware of the disease and are not registered anywhere. They are the main source of its spread but there is no way to trace them or keep a check on them.” Talking about HIV/AIDS still considered as a taboo in Pakistan, said the official, adding that the moment people come to know that a person living next door is HIV positive they start avoiding him and he is forced to live in isolation.
After the devolution of the Ministry of Health under the 18th Amendment, NACP has been devolved to the provinces and now it is up to them to control the spread of AIDS, he stated.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 4th, 2014.
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