Health services: Six hospitals to get new HIV/AIDS care centres, says CM
Karachi is among the cities selected by UN programme to be made AIDS free by 2030
Karachi is among the cities selected by UN programme to be made AIDS free by 2030. PHOTO: FILE
KARACHI:
Six new treatment and care centres for HIV/AIDs patients are being established at selected hospitals across the province under a revised strategy, announced Sindh Chief Minister (CM) Qaim Ali Shah.
The CM and the four-member delegation, led by United Nations AIDs Regional Support Team for Asia and the Pacific director Steven J Kraus, exchanged their views on fast-tracked approach to achieve HIV/AIDS prevention, care and support in Sindh.
Jinnah and Abbasi Shaheed hospitals in Karachi, Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences in Hyderabad, and Civil hospitals in Nawabshah, Mirpurkhas and Sukkur, are the facilities where these centres will be set up.
Shah said that a revised three-year scheme has been prepared to develop health department wings across Sindh.
According to the CM, Rs637.161 million have already been utilised to extend the HIV/AIDs Control Programme from 2011 to 2014, and the government extended this service for 2014-2015 with a budgetary allocation of Rs100 million.
Kraus appreciated Sindh government's efforts with regard to the eradication of HIV/AIDs. However, he said that only five per cent of HIV/AIDs patients and drug addicts in Pakistan have access to treatment, which was very low in comparison to other countries. He added that Karachi has been selected as an important city by the UN AIDS programme to make it AIDS free by the year 2030.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 11th, 2015.
Six new treatment and care centres for HIV/AIDs patients are being established at selected hospitals across the province under a revised strategy, announced Sindh Chief Minister (CM) Qaim Ali Shah.
The CM and the four-member delegation, led by United Nations AIDs Regional Support Team for Asia and the Pacific director Steven J Kraus, exchanged their views on fast-tracked approach to achieve HIV/AIDS prevention, care and support in Sindh.
Jinnah and Abbasi Shaheed hospitals in Karachi, Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences in Hyderabad, and Civil hospitals in Nawabshah, Mirpurkhas and Sukkur, are the facilities where these centres will be set up.
Shah said that a revised three-year scheme has been prepared to develop health department wings across Sindh.
According to the CM, Rs637.161 million have already been utilised to extend the HIV/AIDs Control Programme from 2011 to 2014, and the government extended this service for 2014-2015 with a budgetary allocation of Rs100 million.
Kraus appreciated Sindh government's efforts with regard to the eradication of HIV/AIDs. However, he said that only five per cent of HIV/AIDs patients and drug addicts in Pakistan have access to treatment, which was very low in comparison to other countries. He added that Karachi has been selected as an important city by the UN AIDS programme to make it AIDS free by the year 2030.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 11th, 2015.