30 People With HIV/AIDS Are Getting Registered Every Month At PIMS Center, Pakistan

The number of people getting registered with HIV/ AIDS is increasing every year in the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) since 2005.Around 2,184 people with HIV/AIDS have been registered at the Hospital. Over 180 male, 338 female, and seven transgender people have been registered, in addition to 38 children this year.

“On average, 200 to 250 people are added every year. Every month, around 30 people are getting registered with the hospital, which is alarming,” said Dr Rizwan Qazi , head of the PIMS Center for the Treatment and Prevention of AIDS.

“Most of the people with HIV are injection drug users (IDU) and the treatment of IDUs with HIV/AIDS has become a huge challenge because of the limited availability of drug rehabilitation centers. Treatment of HIV/AIDS is a lifelong process, and because many IDUs chose not to complete their treatment, they became a major cause of the spread of the virus,” said Dr Qazi.

National Aids Control Program Manager Dr Baseer Achakzai said that most people being treated at PIMS for HIV/AIDS are actually from other cities. Shortage of drug rehabilitation facilities is a major hurdle. Along with IDUS, cases among transgender people and sex workers are worrisome.

He further expressed concern over the government’s delayed release of funds for the National Aids Control Program. He claimed they are buying drugs out of their own pockets to continue supplying patients registered at HIV/AIDS treatment centers in the capital.

“The program has not received funds from the government since June. This delay is creating problems for control and prevention activities in the capital,” he said.

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Source-Medindia