January 11, 2003	Saturday	Ziqa'ad 7, 1423

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ISLAMABAD, Jan 10: Time has come when the people of Pakistan should freely talk about sexually transmitted diseases with special focus on HIV/AIDS, as it is one of the countries with “High Risk Behaviour” in Asia.

This was remarked by Dr Nafis Sadik, the special envoy to the UN secretary-general on HIV/AIDS and population in South Asia, at a press conference, organised by the UN information centre here on Friday.

Dr Nafis is currently visiting Pakistan as part of her campaign to make its leadership and the masses aware of the health hazards of sexually transmitted diseases and possible preventive measures.

“Although, at present in Pakistan the HIV/AIDS prevalence rate is very low, due to its high risk behaviour, the deadly disease can turn into a pandemic, as has happened in the African countries over the last one decade,” Dr Nafis Sadik said.

Therefore, it was the need of the hour that the people of the country should be informed about the causes for the spread of the HIV/AIDS and possible preventive measures, she added. Unfortunately, the people of Pakistan are suffering from the stigma that HIV/AIDS only spread through unlawful sexual relations, she said.

Dr Nafis Sadik, who had been working with the UNFPA since 1985 said, “my job is to pursue Pakistan’s leadership and its people not to hesitate from discussing and taking preventive measures against the HIV, which so far had killed billions of people all around the world.”

In Pakistan’s context, women are more vulnerable to HIV. In most of the cases, women infected with the deadly virus through their spouses later on transfer it to their babies. She said, it was of vital importance that like in the west both man and the woman got a marriage certificate making it sure that no one carried the disease.

“A woman with HIV affects the whole family and in a conservative society like ours it exacerbates the problems, as women are not allowed to discuss such issues what to talk about asking their spouses to adopt preventive measures,” Dr Sadik said.

Women in Pakistan needed special education to save themselves and their babies from the pandemic, she said, adding, but it was only possible with the cooperation of men.

Expressing her happiness at the reservation of 33 per cent women seats in the local governments and 17 per cent in the National Assembly, Dr Nafis was of the view that it would help them look after their interests in policy-making.

Being appreciative of the role of media, she said, the print media in Pakistan had been daring in the last couple of years and courageously reported centuries-old customs like honour killings and Karo Kari, which in turn prompted legal actions by the government against the culprits.

Answering a question, she said, both public and private sectors had to make easy availability of the condoms and other preventive measure to the general public.

To another question, she said, unlike her previous tours to the country this time the federal government seemed concerned about the spread of the disease and was willing to work in this regard.

“My meetings with the prime minister, president and federal health minister have been encouraging and they have shared the UN’s concern with regard to the spread of the HIV in the region,” she said.