JUI-F, UNAIDS to launch awareness drive against HIV/AIDS prevention

KARACHI: The Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) and the United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) have agreed to launch an awareness drive in Larkana division against the deadly infection through mosques and seminaries under the JUI-F's influence.

The consensus was developed during a meeting between JUI-F Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman and Secretary General JUI-F Rashid Mehmood Soomro with top UNAIDS officials here in Karachi on the other day, JUI-F officials said on Wednesday. A top-level UNAIDS delegation led-by its Regional Director for Asia-Pacific Eamonn Murphy, Taoufik Bakkali, UNAIDS’ Regional Adviser Strategic Information, Dr. Maria Elena G Filio Borromeo, UNAIDS Country Director for Pakistan and Afghanistan, Dr. Rajwal Khan, Fahmida Khan Community Support Advisor, UNAIDS met the JUI-F leadership and asked them to play their role in spread awareness against HIV/AIDS in Larkana where 816 people including 672 children have tested positive for the viral infection since April 25, 2019.

The visiting UNAIDS delegation highlighted the role of religious leaders, Imams of mosques and seminary teachers as crucial in limiting the deadly outbreak and to prevent any such outbreaks in future. They hoped their collaborative efforts would yield positive results in making the people aware of the practices needed to prevent them and their children from contracting the scary infection. The JUI-F officials said the Maulana Fazlur Rehman and Maulana Rashid Mehmood Sommro assured UNAIDS that they would cooperate with the UN agencies in creating awareness “The spread of HIV/AIDS is a human issue and we are very concerned about its spread in Larkana and other parts of the country.

We have already held press conferences and rallies to spread awareness about this outbreak,” Maulana Fazlur Rehman told the UNAIDS delegation. Fazl told them that the Imams of mosques in Larkana are also guiding people through their sermons about HIV/AIDS and the preventive measures that should be adopted.

Maulana Rashid Mehmood Sommro, JUI-F Secretary General, asked the UN officials to press the provincial government to immediately arrange treatment of children. Following HIV outbreak in Ratodero, the UN agencies are seeking support of all the political, religious parties and community leaders to spread awareness about prevention from the viral infection.