21 HIV cases reported last week in four Sindh districts

ISLAMABAD: As many as 21 new cases of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) were reported in four districts of Sindh during the last week of February 2023.

“HIV cases are regularly being reported from Larkana, Jacobabad, Qambar Shahdadkot and Shikarpur districts. The disease is on high prevalence in these districts since 2019, due to poor infection prevention and control (IPC),” an official of the National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination (NHS,R&C) told The News.

Over 60 percent of HIV cases are being reported from the general population while the rest are being reported from injectable drug users, transgender persons and sex workers,” the official added.

Pakistan reported the world’s largest HIV outbreak among children in 2019, when hundreds of children were found infected with HIV in Ratodero, Taluka of Larkana. Since then, around 2,800 children have so far tested positive for HIV in Ratodero and adjoining areas.

Confirming the detection of new HIV cases in the four districts of Sindh on regular basis, an official of the Communicable Disease Control (CDC) Sindh said the presence of thousands of quacks and poor infection prevention and control (IPC) are the two main reasons behind the spread of HIV in the area.

“We are doing massive screening and HIV testing in these districts that is why several HIV cases in both adults and children are being reported. The use of infected needles and syringes are the main cause of HIV spread in the area,” said Dr Ershad Kazmi, Additional Director (CDC) (HIV/AIDS) Sindh.

Sindh Health Department and the Sindh Healthcare Commission cracked down on quacks following the outbreak of HIV in Ratodero, but they have resurfaced, said Kazmi, adding the director general of Health Sindh was urged to immediately establish an IPC cell in the province to prevent the spread of HIV and other blood-borne diseases in the province.

Sindh Healthcare Commission was supposed to eliminate quackery but it has miserably failed to fulfil its responsibilities including the implementation of IPC guidelines and recommendations. In these circumstances, it has become inevitable to take action against those who are violating the national IPC guidelines, Dr Kazmi concluded.