Efforts on to mobilise domestic resources to end AIDS by 2030, says Dr Faisal

Islamabad: The PM’s Special Assistant on Health Dr. Faisal Sultan Thursday pledging to lead efforts towards increased government spending to cover all aspects of the National HIV response, especially along the HIV prevention and treatment cascade, by mobilising domestic resources and integrating HIV services into the health system.

Speaking at a World AIDS Day event organised by the Ministry of National Health Services, in collaboration with relevant partners, and the Common Management Unit (CMU) for AIDS, TB, and Malaria, Dr. Faisal reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to ending HIV/AIDS by 2030. The event was attended by diplomats, representatives of United Nations Country Team (UNCT); UNAIDS, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM); Health, Population, Nutrition and Health Development Partners, Association of People Living with AIDS (APLHIV) and other community-based organisations working on HIV.

The theme for this year’s World AIDS Day is ‘End Inequalities. End AIDS. End Pandemics.’ The AIDS epidemic in the Asia-Pacific is rising. There has been a significant increase in the number of people living with HIV in Pakistan, with 84% of these new infections occurring between 2010-2021.

Dr. Faisal shared that the Ministry has been working closely with provinces to increase engagement with communities in a bid to halt the spread of new infections. “With support from GFATM, we are providing free HIV diagnostic, treatment, care and support services to people living with HIV through dedicated HIV treatment centers. Even multi-month dispensation has been ensured during lockdowns through door-to-door service provision,” he added.

Dr. Faisal further said, “We devised national and provincial AIDS Strategies, setting the plan of action for 2021-2025 that shows support from the government to create an enabling environment with multi-sectoral engagement to address legislative, socio-cultural-economic, religious, political, legal, and financial determinants that can influence HIV awareness, education, prevention, care, treatment, and support initiatives.”

UNAIDS Country Director for Pakistan and Afghanistan Yuki Takemoto, said HIV/AIDS still threatens the world including Pakistan. Sharing his opinion, UN Resident Coordinator Julien Harneis said, that for the course corrections, we need to end AIDS as it will also protect Pakistan against future pandemics. “We need a paradigm shift in health financing and invest in community-led, human rights-based, gender transformative responses, essential workers, equitable access to life-saving medicines, data systems that can detect inequalities, and rights-based approaches that address those inequalities,” he explained.

Asghar Satti, National Coordinator of Association of People Living with HIV and AIDS, stressed for HIV testing to ensure that all people living with HIV can lead a healthy and productive life. “Both AIDS and COVID-19 can be ended, and future pandemics can be prevented with strong political leadership, action and accountability,” he remarked. The ceremony was followed by an exhibition of handicrafts.