LARKANA:Sindh government and its Sindh AIDS Control Program (SACP) have mishandled HIV outbreak in Ratodero since beginning as even now they are not taking keen interest in resolving the issue permanently, said Dr Aziz Soomro, pediatrician of Larkana, who is settled in New York since years, told PPI here on Thursday.
He said after great efforts, he was able to convince Brown University HIV/AIDS experts who are acknowledged worldwide to give online lectures to the doctors in Larkana and entire Sindh how to handle and provide treatment to the HIV positive people with particular reference to children and HIV mothers.
He said so far, four such lectures had been held at Chandka Children Hospital on four last Sundays, but the attendance of doctors remained very negligible. He said in last two lectures, even renowned child specialist Prof Dr Saifullah Jamro did not attend which displayed their interest in treating HIV cases.
He said those experts, who are delivering high profile lectures free of cost here, are charging $20,000 to 30,000 per lecture in Bangladesh, Philippines and elsewhere in the world and they also wanted to come to Larkana for three days in July 13-15 for holding an international conference on HIV and establishment of ultra-modern laboratory, provision of free treatment medicines and so forth in Larkana.
He said that he even talked to former health secretary Saeed Awan who instructed all doctors to attend the lectures but nobody obeyed him. He said his phone calls are not being attended by Director General, Health Services Sindh, Dr. Masood Solangi, which reveals government’s intentions. He said being a Larkanian himself he feels highly painful and concerned about the affairs that have surfaced in Ratodero which has shaken the world that is why I am constantly trying to get help from experts of USA.
He said same was the reason he met with former US President Clinton and his spouse Hillary Clinton and requested them to help HIV affected children of Benazir Bhutto’s home district through their Clinton Foundation which they have promised to consider.
He said those few doctors who attended lectures are not filling form sent to them due to which expert’s hearts have broken because they did not receive required output. He said even SACP Provincial Program Manager and Incharge, Larkana’s HIV/AIDS Treatment and Care Center failed to attend lectures for which they were instructed by health secretary.
Another HIV expert doctor who has retired disclosed that not a single lady doctor attended last two lectures despite the fact that 150 HIV positive pregnant women are registered in Shaikh Zayed Hospital for Women in Larkana. He said it is very unfortunate and pity that our doctors are more interested in foreign tours, TA/DA, lunch and dinners but they are not sincere with their poor patients.
He said even those doctors are not coming who have been posted in ART Center and HIV OPD at Children Hospital. He said Sindh Government is begging for funds but is declining free help. He said local NGOs are running from pillar to post like hungry vultures to get involved in the business but their past performance is very terrible which should be neglected.