Number of HIV/AIDS patients increasing in Pakistan

National AIDS Prevention and Control Programme (NACP) is no more effective after the devolution of some ministries to the provinces while the number of patients suffering from HIV/AIDS is increasing with each passing day in Pakistan. Well-placed sources told Business Recorder on Saturday that the total number of the HIV infected people is increasing in Pakistan.
In Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) only, almost 1200 HIV positive patients are registered while 40-50 new patients get registered with PIMS every month. The Ministry of Health initiated NACP in 1987 when the first confirmed case of HIV/AIDS was discovered. In its initial stages, the programme mainly focused on diagnosis of cases, but gradually started shifting the focus towards community. The main objectives of the programme include; the prevention of HIV transmission, safe blood transfusion, establishment of surveillance, training of health staff, research and behavioural studies, and development of programme management.
Sources said that almost 25-30 percent of the 1.5 million annual blood transfusions in Pakistan are not screened for HIV that has become the major cause of increase in the number of HIV infected people in Pakistan. Sources disclosed, "Earlier, most of the people tried to conceal this fact that they were having HIV/AIDs due to the country's strict religious and cultural norms but after having more knowledge and education about this epidemic, the people, without feeling any hesitation, visit hospitals to get proper treatment".
AIDs in Pakistan is spreading like a silent killer while moderately high drug use and lack of acceptance that non-marital sex is common in the society have allowed the AIDS epidemic to take hold in Pakistan, mainly among injection users, some male sex workers and repatriated migrant workers.
A recent report from the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) shows that Pakistan is among the 11 countries in the Asia-Pacific which house majority of the HIV infected persons. The report has disclosed that HIV prevalence in Pakistan nearly doubled from 11% in 2005 to 21% in 2008. The greatest source of spread in the virus was use of drug injections and the UNAIDS says that an estimated one in five people who inject drugs in Pakistan are HIV positive. Also a significant proportion of new HIV infections within key populations are among young people under the age of 25. In most settings, HIV prevention programmes are failing to sufficiently reach young people at risk.
Symptoms of AIDS are caused by the deterioration of the immune system. Diarrhea, dry cough, memory loss, depression and neurological disorders, Pneumonia, rapid weight loss, and profuse night sweats are among the symptoms of the epidemic.
HIV/AIDS is believed to have been introduced to Pakistan by migrant workers returning from the Middle East. These workers, who went to the Gulf States on work permits, would frequently engage in risky behaviour while abroad. Workers, however, need medical screening to renew their work permits, and if one tested HIV-positive during screening, he was sent packing on the first flight back home.