LARKANA:As many as 25 new HIV positive cases were detected and registered in November 2018 so far at the HIV/AIDS Treatment and Care Center Larkana; out of these cases 15 belong to Larkana district alone. Four patients are females under 40 years.
Sources at the HIV/AIDS Treatment and Care Center Larkana said that the international community will be observing World AIDS Day on December 01 but the lack of awareness continue to hit the general population hard as most of them are still unaware about safe sex and safe blood transfusion. The number of registered HIV positive cases at the Center has risen to 2276.
In end of July the registered patients’ number was 2120 and in four months as many as 156 new cases have been registered which shows that approximately 40 new cases are being detected every month at the Center.
Larkana continue to top the list in Sindh as it has 1007 number of positive cases second position is held by Kambar-Shahdadkot district as it has 342 cases and third position stays Dadu district with 335 cases.
Dr. Hola Ram, Incharge of the Center said that number of positive cases is rising day by day for which more effective awareness drive is essentially needed which must continue everywhere, from cities to remote villages. He said the number of positive cases is more among Male Sex Workers (MSN) and Intravenous Drug Users (IDUs) which must be stopped.
Dr. Farooq Rahman Soomro, former Focal Person, HIV/AIDS in Larkana District, told PPI that 2 – 3 months back three different kids under 10 years were brought at Children Hospital after getting treatment at various place but could not be cured. They were tested for HIV along with their parents and all were found positive. On inquiry, he added, it was revealed by their parents that they were infected from usage of same syringe by the quacks. He said third generation is suffering the most at the moment which is also called Tri-Gender and second number of cases is found in IDUs and third number is among the commercial sex-workers.
He said every patient needed care, support and awareness through seminars and workshops which should be made top priority to prevent surfacing of new cases. He said eunuchs should also be screened who are involved in commercial sex. He said it should also be made mandatory that blood will be completely screened not only for Hepatitis but also for HIV in Sindh before transfusion for which an Act is needed and all private and public sector hospitals must be forced to use fully screened blood only and violators should be taken to task.
He said laboratories and blood banks must be legalized in the province at all costs to prevent spread of this dreaded viral disease. He said repeated use of same syringe is banned but it needs proper implementation and quack clinics should also be sealed across the province. Dr. Soomro said if emergency measures are not taken then such cases will continue to rise.