LARKANA: Renowned international writer Fatima Bhutto and outstanding artist, curator, occasional writer and forever Indus River Dolphin activist Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Junior, daughter and son of Mir Murtaza Bhutto respectively, paid a surprise visit to the HIV/AIDS Diagnostic and Treatment Center for Adults at Civil Hospital and ART Center for Children at Paeds Medicine Department of the Chandka Medical College Hospital (CMCH) here on Thursday to see the facilities provided to the HIV/AIDS positive cases registered at both the points.
Dr. Gulzar Tunio, CMCH Medical Superintendent (MS) briefed the guests at Adult Center whereas Dr. Hassan Chandio, Additional Medical Superintendent informed them at Paeds Center. Dr. Gulzar Tunio said that Fatima Bhutto intends to write on HIV/AIDS after the outbreak of Ratodero which stunned the world. He said that she came along with her brother and enquired about the available facilities for the HIV/AIDS people. He said she was briefed that all tests are conducted before operation of any person being a tertiary care hospital and cases emerge during screening which are very low.
He said people also come here for voluntary blood screening which is carried out free of cost and cases also are detected. He said there are also hidden cases of sex and other workers which need to be screened. He said they were informed that all necessary facilities are being provided to the registered patients including medicines and screening. Sources disclosed that over 4000 adult cases are registered at the adult Center.
Dr. Hassain Chandio briefed them that 428 HIV positive children have been registered at the Center hailing from various districts of Sindh who are being provided all required medicines as there are only two centers for children in Sindh. He further said that about 500 children visit the Center monthly for screening purposes out of whom 3 to 4 percent are detected HIV positive.
He said AIDS cases are reducing due to their efforts and awareness but HIV positive cases are increasing. He said male / female sex workers, homeosex workers, Intravenous Drug Users (IDUs) and eunuchs are still hidden workers and the same syringe is also being used by Hakims and quacks which also spread the viral disease. They were astonished to know that the same syringe is still being shared by them despite the auto lock syringe system.
Meanwhile, Fatima Bhutto in her written note said that “thank you (doctors) for doing such important work. She said that we must end the stigma apathy faced by HIV positive patients all over Pakistan. We are with you in all your work and support these valuable efforts”.