LARKANA:Adviser to Prime Minister for Health Dr Zafar Mirza said Thursday that outbreak of HIV in Ratodero had not only shaken the country, but entire world, adding when he was in Geneva, he was also asked about surfacing of HIV.
He said the root cause of large number of children infected with AIDS must be detected. He was addressing press conference at Darbar Hall here today after presiding over a high level meeting on the AIDS issue where he was given briefing with the help of charts and slides. The meeting was also attended by the provincial health minister Dr. Azra Pechuho, Vice Chancellor, Benazir Bhutto Medical University Prof Dr Aneela Attaur Rahman, Sindh AIDS Control Program Manager Dr Sikandar Memon, Prof K Das, Principal Chandka Medical College and others.
Dr.Zafar said that some of the causes were very common such as usage of same syringe, transfusion of contaminated blood, spread of infection in the hospitals, unsafe sex and so forth. He said when the parents of affected children were tested most of them were negative which means they were infected from other sources which need to be thoroughly probed.
He said the federal government, along with UNICEF, WHO, UNAID, Aga Khan Foundation, Aga Khan University Hospital and other organizations, were cooperating with the Sindh government in this connection and would continue to coordinate till root cause was detected.
He said: “We should keep away health issue from the politics and work together for the betterment of the ailing poor masses. We need nonpolitical education and health system in the country. We have 5000 kits in stock at the moment which will be provided to the provincial government.”
He said: “If more kits are needed, these will be imported because it is our collective issue.” Dr. Zafar said that instead of relying on Global Fund, we should rely on own resources which should be priority. He said the purpose of coming to Larkana was to see what Sindh government had done, but he was satisfied with the work of health department, he added.
He further added that health department needed much improvement not only in Sindh but across Pakistan. He said a meeting would soon be held with the manufacturers of disposable syringes so that these could be wiped out of Pakistan after a time limit for which regulation will also be revisited. He said reasons for spread of HIV and Hepatitis are almost same, usage of un-screened blood, same syringe etc. for which doctors should change their wrong practice due to which HIV is spreading fast in the world. He said if doctors did not change their wrong practice then we will be going to a great destruction. He said media should refrain from disclosing names of affected persons and report responsibly.
Health Minister Azra Pechuho said that kits and other related facilities had been requested to the federal government to provide for which they had been assured of full support and cooperation. She said till Eid, they would be able to get final number of HIV positive cases in Ratodero and adjoining areas and if cases increased, then screening would continue even after Eid. She said three teams of Aga Khan Hospital were working here free of cost.
She said all the 600 positive cases had not been examined by arrested Dr. Muzaffar Ghangro, adding investigation was underway and its report would be made public. She disclosed that auto-lock syringes stock was not even available with the companies but they would ensure that in future these syringes are used in all government and private hospitals.
Dr. Zafar Mirza and Dr Azra, accompanied by senior doctors, later visited HIV/AIDS Treatment and Care Center and ART Ward. Dr. Mirza on the occasion also directed the relevant authorities to check the record of affected children of 1-5 years whether they were vaccinated.