150,000 HIV/AIDS positive patients in Pakistan, main reasons drugs users and male sex workers
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KARACHI - Pakistan already experiencing concentrated HIV/AIDS epidemics in two high risk groups of injection drug users (IDUs) and male sex workers (MSWs) including transgenders requires greater focus on health literacy to effectively prevent spread of human immuno viral. Health experts talking to APP Friday said the World Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) Day 2018 being observed on December One with the theme "Know Your Status," holds quite a relevance for Pakistan as many still may not know the difference between HIV and AIDS, its signs and symptoms and/or clinical features. "Since knowledge concerning the mode of transmission and prevention of Human Immuno Deficiency Virus (HIV), that leads to AIDS, is somewhat better understood we find that there exists a societal stigma which in turn leads to under-reporting of cases," said Dr. Ghulam Nabi Kazi a senior public health activist. The situation was said to aggravate further as communities often demonstrate a negative attitude towards patients of HIV/AIDS and even where the attitude is positive, serious myths and misconceptions exist concerning the disease that need to be addressed. Although there are estimated to be 75,000 to 150,000 HIV positive patients in the country the number of cases currently registered with Pakistan, National AIDS Control Program comes to 25,220 cases of which the eligible 15,390 cases have been put on anti-retroviral treatment. NACP has been working with high-risk groups (including male and female commercial sex workers, injectable drug users, men having sex with men and transgenders), duly educating and counseling them while carrying out voluntary testing with utmost confidentiality. The Nation Program that has completed its sixth round of disease surveillance is registered to be faced with a significant problem that stems from the sub-optimal health-seeking behavior of the affected patients. "It is an improvement which is crucial to access prompt treatment that can potentially improve the quality of life," emphasized the expert. A positive development, however, was cited to be several new ways of expanding access to HIV testing, such as self-testing, community-based testing and multi-disease testing helpful for people in knowing their HIV status. "Yet there are many promises to keep and miles to go before we sleep," commented Dr. Kazi. "Our country despite maintaining a low prevalence is feared to face unexpected situation due to low literacy levels coupled with rampant risky behaviors such as high intravenous drug use," said Dr. Sikander Iqbal associated with Sindh AIDS control Program. According to 2013 survey on drug use conducted by the United Nation's Office for Drugs and Crime (UNODC), 4.25 million people in Pakistan are considered dependent on substances requiring structured treatment for their drug use disorder. Survey findings showed that cannabis alone had around 4 million users nationwide, while 860,000 people used heroin regularly, approximately 19,000 people used methamphetamine and nearly 1.6 million people misused prescription opioids or painkillers for non-medical use. Dr. Kazi, Communicable Diseases, Epidemiology, Health Systems and Program Evaluation Specialist responding to a query said Pakistanis, in general, must also not be lulled into any complacency vis-a-vis HIV/AIDS control while considering our religious beliefs. It was reminded that HIV prevalence is growing in several Islamic countries due to risky and explicitly forbidden behaviors relating to immoral sexual behaviors and habitually consuming harmful substances. "Furthermore, a traditionally weak system of blood transfusion has been compounding problems in Pakistan," said the seasoned professional with vast experience of working with WHO. In this context, he particularly referred to Tuberculosis (TB) that remains the leading cause of death among people living with HIV, accounting for around one in three AIDS-related deaths. People living with HIV with no TB symptoms need TB preventative therapy, that too, in the backdrop of the fact that half of people living with HIV and tuberculosis are estimated to be unaware of their co-infection and are therefore not receiving care. "The facts underlined above constitute the main ingredients to delineate Pakistan's strategic priorities guiding the HIV response," said the researchers. Health experts acknowledged that HIV/AIDS facilities have become much more user-friendly in the intervening three decades, as compared to those initial days marked by fear, apprehension, ignorance and a general alarm surrounding the disease. There is yet the need to treat HIV/AIDS patients with utmost care and compassion by dispelling all the myths in order to ensure its robust prevention and control. Dr. G.N Kazi was of the view that the federal and provincial programs for HIV/AIDS control started way back in 1994 may stand alone as a health intervention initiated in the country's health sector against a perceived threat in the future; normally the action comes in the face of a growing challenge. "This single fact is responsible for containing the threat to the present low level of around 0.05 percent to 0.07 percent prevalence in the country," he said reiterating that people as well as authorities have to be mindful of the potential hazard associated with the slightest degree of neglect. "This could lead to a major epidemic in less than no time and reverse all the gains achieved over the past quarter century," warned the public health specialist. Stakeholders at every level need to be cognizant that 37 million people are currently living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) globally, 22 million of them are accessing anti-retroviral therapy. - APP
