LARKANA:The first HIV positive case was detected in Larkana in 1992. This was disclosed by Dr. Farooq Rahman Soomro, former Focal Persons for HIV/AIDS, Larkana, while talking to this Scribe here on Saturday on World AIDS Day. He said in 2003 as many as 170 Intravenous Drug Users (IDUs) were tested out of which more than 20 were detected HIV positive and most of them were young males hooked on drugs.
He said a large number of children are also inhaling drugs i-e glues apart from other kinds of drugs. He said the cause of using drugs are unemployment, poverty, lack of parental attention, peer pressure, frustration, anxiety, depression, illiteracy, lack of awareness of drug use and smoking, family problems, easy availability of drugs and limited role of society. He said these things have pushed Larkana into a concentrated epidemic.
Dr. Soomro said that large drug user population in Larkana, rapid shifting from inhalation to injecting drug use, sharing of needles and syringes, injecting in groups and risky sexual behaviours indicate that the future of HIV/AIDS epidemic in Larkana will be derived through injecting drug use. He said drug users of same injections are vulnerable not only to HIV/AIDS but also Hepatitis B and C. He said drug users buy and sell sex, donate blood for money and some of them are married with children. He said apart from leading to numerous medical problems like HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis B and C and syphilis, drug users create social problems also such as theft for money, buying and selling sex.
He said multi-sectoral efforts are required by Health Department, Anti-Narcotics Force, Excise, Police and Social Welfare Departments, for providing rehabilitation services, harm reduction services and control on drug selling to prevent further escalation and spread of this viral disease. He said advocacy with authorities, mobilizing the public opinion and strict implementation of drug laws can play a vital role in curbing this menace.
He said for curbing further spread, all blood banks must work as per guidelines of Safe Blood Transfusion Authority (SBTA) for which SBTA needs working in top gear. He said all departments dealing with narcotics/drug control shall have to mobilize efforts to frequently check, control and stop the supply and spread of drugs. He said Center for sexually transmitted diseases should be established at each Taluka Hospital which will help to stop the disease and aware the victims at preliminary stage.
He said Rehabilitation Center is also must for case finding, case holding and health education in collaboration with donor agency. He said thousands of drug users are roaming in the streets of Larkana and most of them are likely to have been infected through sharing same syringes who need to be fully screened. He said government should ensure that only fully screened blood is used in all public and private medical centers and hospitals which must include HIV test as well.