QUETTA: AIDS was speedily spreading in Balochistan and according to an estimate there are 3500 AIDS unregistered patients in the province while registered number of AIDS patients stands at 929. Of these 489 patients are in Quetta and 252 in Turbat. Besides 134 women are also suffering from AIDS. They are 123 in Quetta and 30 in Turbat.
This was disclosed by speakers at provincial level seminar on Advocacy Campaign for Media persons and Educationalists and Print and Electronic Media persons. Seminar was organized by Balochistan AIDS Control Programme.
Speakers including Secretary Health Saleh Mohammad Nassar, Provincial Manager AIDS Control Programme Noor Mohammad Qazi, Deputy Director Education Syed Nasir Shah, Dr KD Osmani, Amanullah Kakar, Dr Shakir Baloch, President Press Cub Razaur Rehman and others said 26 children 18 in Quetta and 10 in Turbat were also AIDS patients. Similarly6 transgender were also AIDS patients as per record till February 2018.
They said seminar is aimed at to increase prevalence f safe behaviours and improve availability of services for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among Most At Risk People. It is also aimed at to improve knowledge and practice of HIV preventive measures and use of high quality STI services by general population besides reducing transmission of HIV and other STIs through blood and blood products.
They said affected person does not know he was suffering from any disease as he leads normal life for some time. During this period his defence system becomes weak and different diseases attack him at a time.
Answering a question they said awareness programme was not only organized at Quetta but it was being organized in 28 districts of the province. Programme is being organized with doctors, media persons and Ulema to create awareness among the masses on AIDS. They told that spread of AIDS is because of transfer of used injections. They said two machines have been installed at Turbat and BMC Quetta. Only registered patients are provided free medical treatment as AIDS medicines are very costly. They said AIDS patients try to cover up their diseases which are a source of its spread. They said disease has caused fear among the people and to remove this fear there is need to take effective measures.