LARKANA:  As many as 106 new HIV positive cases have been registered at the HIV/AIDS Treatment and Care Center of Chandka Medical College Hospital (CMCH) since September 17, 2017, bringing the total registered positive cases toll  to 1861  from 1755 on Wednesday.

When the world is observing World AIDS Day, Larkana district continued to top the list of positive cases as it has 857 registered patients having an increase of 47 new cases. There were 810 patients of Larkana previously during the stated period. Kambar-Shahdadkot district saw an increase of 16 new patients as it has 281 cases now. Dadu has 180 and Khairpur Mirs 179. Out of these 1861 cases, 1473 are males, 340 females, 15 children and transgenders are 33. As many as 975 are between the age group of 18-30 years, 518 between 31-40, 211 between 41-50, 75 between 51-60, 24 between 61-70 years, 42 are below 18 years and 16 are children. This shows that young people are being regularly infected with this deadly disease main reason of which is said to be unawareness among them.

In 2007, there were only eight registered patients at the centre. This number has now climbed to 1861 in 10 years which is alarming and proves that preventive measures are almost none. As many as 185 positive patients are also suffering from Hepatitis C out of which 168 are males and 17 females. The 22 have also been infected with Hepatitis B out of which 18 are males, three females and one transgender. Eighty people are on Anti-Kock out of which 70 are males and 10 females.

A report said 424 positive positive people were also brought to the centre by NGOs of Khairpur Mirs (105 people), Dadu (70), Jacobabad (56), Naushehro Feroze (19) and Larkana (174), out of which 11 were females. The data shows that one male was infected by contaminated needles, 342 were infected by using same syringe for drug use. 896 males, 225 females and 32 transgenders were infected by sexual transmission, 81 males, 87 females and three children were infected by blood transfusion, 11 children were infected by vertical infection and rest denied how they got the disease.

The statistics show that HIV is constantly hit the masses which need to be curbed forthwith through massive awareness campaigns all over the province on regular basis. The affected patients, requesting anonymity, complained that no surgical procedures were being carried out in the CMCH Surgical Wards by the Head of Departments (HODs). They demanded that routine surgeries must be conducted according to WHO guidelines. They further alleged that they also faced acute hardships in carrying out various pathological tests at CMCH Labs which must also be resolved. Instead of providing vital Viral Load Test (VLT) facility at CMCH centre, it has been provided to the patients indirectly through Aga Khan Laboratories costing huge amount, they added. Nobody knows where the received amount of international donors is being used, the affected patients further complained.

Dr. Hola Ram, Incharge of the Centre said that illiterate society needs awareness without which HIV cases will never be controlled. He said government's preventive organisations must also be awakened from deep sleep so that they may also discharge their moral and legal obligations not only to control HIV but other dangerous diseases like Hepatitis. He said all required facilities must be provided at all the treatment centres in Sindh so that poor infected people should feel free to get treatment anywhere. He said an infected person could pass life comfortably if they get proper treatment medicines regularly. -PPI