The number of HIV positive cases detected during the last eight months has reached 1,250 since April 25, 2019 when the screening was launched by the Sindh AIDS Control Programme (SACP) at the Taluka Headquarter Hospital (THQ).
Out of these total cases 985 are children, of them 603 are males and 382 are females and 265 are adults and of them are 190 females and 75 are males. 39068 people among the general population have yet been tested who arrived voluntarily at the screening camp. Many HIV positive cases also belong to nearby districts but the SACP is not disclosing their statistics for unknown reasons one of them is fear of getting defame worldwide and avoid panic among the affected people. Eight new cases have been detected since last Saturday out of which one is adult female, three male children and four are females which proves that number of HIV cases is prevalent more among the children than adults. According to international protocols all siblings of the affected cases are also to be tested but this huge work is still pending despite passage of so much time which has created rumours that provincial government is not serious in properly handling the epidemic which has caused 43 lives so far.
This Scribe also learnt that the affected people are also facing worst stigma and discrimination by their fellow villagers and relatives for which government or the SACP has done nothing as yet to get them relieved. When Dr. Imran Arbani, who at the very outset detected HIV cases here, was contacted on Sunday he said that one Imtiaz Jalbani has shifted from his village Thalo Ghangro and is staying in Ratodero in a rented house as his five kids were suffering from the viral disease out of which his two children have expired. He said in village Subhani Khan Shar as many as 30 children have been detected HIV positive where a cop Shahzado Shar, also resident of same village, has been constantly forcing them to build their own separate village away from their residences so that they are not affected by the virus. Dr. Arbani further revealed that one married HIV positive woman also complained to him while weeping that her husband is constantly threatening her that he will divorce her because not only she but her son is also suffering from the viral disease. He said the affected people are facing worst kind of discrimination and attitudes from their fellow citizens and even relatives which need to be curbed through massive and constant awareness programs which is almost non-existent because most of the people are illiterate and lack proper medical knowledge. He said quacks have once again been very active which also need to be eradicated permanently without loss of further time otherwise such cases will continue to emerge without any control.
Dr. Sikandar Ali Memon, Provincial Program Manager, SACP and Focal Person for Media, was contacted to have his input about the release of endowment fund of Rs one billion announced by the PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and kept in the annual Sindh budget and establishment of 12 HIV Treatment Centers across Sindh during the current fiscal year but he did not attend any call.
