Another child tested positive for HIV in Larkana

KARACHI: In the Ratodero subdivision of Sindh’s Larkana district, 43 children were screened for HIV on Saturday, and one of them tested positive for the virus, raising the total number of HIV positive people to 1,221 since April this year.

“Screening of children for HIV is under way without any interruption in the Ratodero area of Larkana since April, and today one more child tested positive for HIV after 43 children were screened for the viral infection,” an official of the Sindh Aids Control Programme (SACP) told The News.

He said that dozens of children were being brought to the Taluka Hospital Ratodero by their parents on a daily basis to get them screened for HIV.

Sindh’s health officials said that so far 1,221 people have tested positive for HIV in Ratodero since April and 970 of them are children, adding that they have screened 38,213 people in the area since the HIV outbreak was first reported.

“Of the 970 children, 597 are boys and 373 are girls. Moreover, 183 women and 68 men have also tested positive for HIV in the area,” said the SACP official, adding that they are prepared to screen the entire Ratodero, as dozens have been visiting their screening centre daily.