HIV Infections On The Rise

In Balochistan
May 03, 2019
 Ayub Tareen
 Abubakar Siddique

FILE: People hold placards during a rally to create awareness about HIV/AIDS.
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Physicians in Pakistan’s southwestern province of Balochistan say HIV infection
rates are rapidly rising in the impoverished region reeling from violence and poor
healthcare.

Despite a lack of extensive testing data, healthcare professionals have noted a rise in
both HIV infection rates and cases of AIDS. The vast and sparsely populated region
borders Iran and Afghanistan and has a long coast along the Arabian Sea.

Afzal Khan Zarkon, a physician, is provincial chief of the Aids Control Program. He
says they are now leading an awareness campaign in Balochistan because many HIV-
positive patients are not even aware they are infected.
If left untreated, HIV morphs into AIDS, a deadly disease that paralyzes the human
immune system.

Zarkon estimates that more than 5,000 people among Balochistan’s 12 million
residents are infected with HIV.

“Many of the infected people don’t even know their status. We have many high-risk
districts,” he told Radio Mashaal. “We have 830 people registered in [the provincial
capital] Quetta while another 309 are registered in Turbat [a district in the south].”

He added that Pishin, an agricultural district in Balochistan’s north, has some 60

HIV-positive cases while the northern districts of Zhob and Shirani also have a
significant incidence of HIV.

HIV and AIDS are relatively new in Balochistan, which has witnessed large-scale
violence because of attacks by separatists, Islamist militants, and military operations.
Local media reports suggest that only two HIV patients were registered in 2016.

Amanullah Kakar, a health worker, says they are trying raise awareness about the
importance of testing and reporting HIV because, unlike in cases of cancer or
hepatitis, people with HIV in the conservative region are more likely to hide their
condition due to the perceived stigma it carries.

“If someone is diagnosed early then the HIV infection can be prevented from turning
into AIDS, and it can be contained,” Kakar told Radio Mashaal. “We are telling
people to only trust blood transfusions that have been tested for HIV.”

Doctors in Pakistan blame repeated use of syringe needles, shaving blades,

contaminated blood transfusions, and unhygienic dental work for the spread of HIV
among the general population. Officials maintain that infection rates are highest
among sex workers and drug users.

The UN estimates that the country of more than 207 million people currently has
150,000 HIV cases. More than 6,000 people are thought to have died of AIDS so far
in the predominantly Muslim country.

With an estimated 20,000 new infections each year, Pakistan has one of the worst
HIV infection rates in South Asia.

Meanwhile, authorities in the southern province of Sindh have arrested a doctor after
dozens of people, including at least 75 children, were found to be infected with HIV
in the town of Ratodero where the doctor was practicing. Media reports suggest that
at least 98 people were found to be HIV-positive after 2,400 people were screened.

Sikandar Ali, a provincial program manager for HIV/AIDS control, says the situation
is alarming.
 “It is very astonishing for us. Usually this disease is not of the general population,
and here we sadly see [a] lot of the general population [are] affected, which is
alarming for us,” he told the Telegraph.

 With reporting by the Telegraph

 THE Balochistan AIDS control programme screened 2,300
inmates at 11 jails in the province. According to the report,
29 out of the 2,300 prisoners were found HIV positive.
 Of these 29, 24 prisoners are in central jail in Gadani, four in the
Quetta district jail and one in the Loralai district jail.
 According to the AIDS control programme, most of the 29 prisoners
were drug addicts who used the same syringe multiple times. If the
tested HIV positive prisoners remain in these prisons without any
treatment, there are high chances that the others would be affected.
 Therefore, authorities should transfer them to a health facility for
treatment.
 Imran Rasheed
 Kech
 Published in Dawn, July 20th, 2019

HIV/AIDS in Balochistan
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Human Imunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is a virus which destroys the cells of the immune
system and make us unable to fight against the every day infections and ailments.

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But wretchedly, the fatal disease HIV/AIDS is alarming and whose patients have
reached to 5000 in Balochistan only. Among 5000 registered cases only 822 were
being treated in certain hospital in Balochistan. And, 6200 patients die annually due
to the fatal diseses of HIV.
However, the people must secure themselves by this fatal ailment whose major
cause is unsafe sexual practices and the government is urgedp to establish more
centers in Balochistan where the HIV/AIDS patients get proper treatment.

Balochistan province has already been in a dire of death–causing diseases like

cancers, but the rapid rate of HIV infection in the province is adding more to it. HIV
infection rates are rapidly rising in this particular region due to violence, social
dogmas and poor healthcare. Healthcare professionals have observed a sudden rise
in both HIV infections case of AIDS.

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damage reported
With an estimation of 20,000 new infections each year, Pakistan has the worst HIV
infection rates in South Asia. Doctors consider it as a consequence of repeated
usage of syringe needles, shaving blades, contaminated blood transfusions and
unhygienic dental work for the widespread of HIV among the general population.
Hence, the government and concerned authorities should provide health facilities to
the public, conduct awareness campaigns, take prompt and pragmatic steps to
resolve this widespread issue to save the population.

TURBAT: 

The province of Balochistan already has more than its fair share of health-related problems. It
has one of the highest numbers of drug addicts, maternal and infant mortality rates and
recently, dengue also is on the rise. However, the most worrisome is the rapidly rising
incidence of HIV/AIDS. According to the provincial chief of the AIDS Control Programme,
5,000 out of a population of 12 million have been tested positive for HIV. Out of this, only
1,133 are registered patients in the province. The programme also expects the number of
HIV-positive people to be actually higher, as many are unaware of their status and have never
been tested for the disease. 20,000 people are diagnosed HIV-positive in the country every
year. Healthcare professionals believe awareness about the disease is necessary to provide
early treatment to prevent HIV from turning into AIDS.
Doctors believe that the most common reason for the increasing
incidence is the misconception that HIV/AIDS is only transmitted
sexually. Hence, people do not take due precautions and tend to use
used syringes (mostly a result of the increasing drug addiction in
Balochistan), barbers’ shaving blades and unhygienic practices by
quack dentists. At a recent conference, the provincial chief of the HIV
programme had stated that the government and the ulema need to
work together with healthcare professionals to raise awareness about
HIV/AIDS and encourage patients to receive proper medical care,
and the government should provide facilities to HIV/AIDS patients,
in order to assist and encourage them in seeking treatment.

Tilyan Aslam

Published in The Express Tribune, May 11 th, 2019.

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Increasing HIV cases a problem

for Balochistan
By APP

Published: November 30, 2018

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A laboratory technician examines blood samples for HIV/AIDS ,PHOTO:REUTERS

QUETTA: Balochistan Health Department Director General Dr Shakir

Baloch on Thursday said the numbers of AIDS patients in the province had
increased from 3,500 to 5,000 but only 1,334 were registered with the AIDS
Control Programme.

He was addressing a press conference at Quetta Press Club along with Dr

Dawood Khan Achakzai, Dr Afzal Zarkon and other doctors. The DG said
the World AIDS Day would be observed in the province in collaboration
with the provincial AIDS Control Programme, UNICEF and other
organisations.

Lack of awareness: 25 new HIV cases detected

He said the day would be marked with the theme ‘get tested, know your
status’, to create awareness regarding HIV-AIDS for decreasing the number
of patients in the province. Dr Baloch said 911 patients of HIV-AIDS were
being treated in Quetta and 301 in Turbat under the programme.

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He said HIV-AIDS cases had also been reported in Qila Saifullah, Zhob,
Sherani, Gwadar, Loralai, Lasbela, Nushki, Qilla Abdullah and Pishin. “A
total of 4,404 prisoners had been tested in various jails in Gadani, Quetta,
Turbat and other areas of the province and 71 of them are suffering from
HIV-AIDS,” he said.

He said it was the responsibility of all segments of society, including

eligious scholars and other stakeholders, to play their vital role to create
awareness against HIV-AIDS. He said AIDS centres had been established in
the Bolan Medical Complex Hospital and in Turbat.

HIV-AIDS in Balochistan
The 30th anniversary of World AIDS Day is being marked on today on  December 1,
2018. World AIDS Day originated at the 1988 World Summit of Ministers of Health
on Programmes for AIDS Prevention. Since then, it is organized every year by United
Nations agencies, governments and civil society.
Since 1988, a remarkable progress can be witnessed that today millions of people
living with HIV are leading healthy and productive lives, however, there is much
more to be done, as the latest UNAIDS report proves that the great challenge is
having no knowledge of HIV status. because UNAIDS estimates that more than 9.4
million people living with HIV still do not know their status.
Alarmingly, the number of AIDS patients has also increased in Balochistan.
According to General Director Health Department Balochistan Dr Shakir Baloch the
number of Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) patients have been greater
from 3500 to 5000 in Balochistan, despite 1334 patients were registered with AIDS
control programme.
Addressing a Press conference at Quetta Press Club Dr Shakir Baloch said that 1033
registered patients in which 911 patients of HIV-AIDS are being treated in Quetta
under AIDS Programme while 301 patients were under treatment in Turbat.
Dr Shakir Baloch shared that HIV-AIDS patients were also reported in respective
areas of Balochistan including Qila Saifullah, Zhob, Sherani, Gwadar, Loralai,
Lasbella, Noshki, Qilla Abdullah, and Pishin. Among 4404 tested prisoners in
Balochistan, while 71 of them have been found suffering of HIV-AIDS”, adding, that
about 6200 people died of HIV-AIDS in Pakistan while 231 men had lost their lives
from same disease in Balochistan.
The growing number of AIDs patients and deaths in Balochistan is quite vexing and
alarming for people in Balochistan. Balochistan is already having battle with number
of diseases and humanitarian issues, the AIDs is another challenge to be confronted
by the people. In order to know the status, the people with minor symptoms must
visit doctors and prevention must be applied. Here the stakeholders in society have
to play their due role to create awareness among people  against HIV-AIDS to save
human lives from such diseases through religious teachings.