KARACHI, Sept 13: Under the Advanced HIV/AIDS Control Programme, a centre will be established at the Civil Hospital Karachi which will specialize in clinical management of HIV/AIDS and training of professionals in related areas. Research studies will also be conducted there.

According to information provided to Dawn by the chief of the Sindh AIDS Control Programme, the objectives of the proposed centre will be: to provide comprehensive clinical care to the infected people; to train doctors and paramedical staff from the public as well as private sector; to conduct epidemiological and clinical studies; and, to put in place a state-of-the-art infection control programme.

For drugs more than Rs11 million will be provided to the centre by the authorities. In addition, the anti-retroviral drugs will be made available through the Global Fund for Tuberculosis, Malaria and AIDS. Separate funds will be provided for research, training and infection control activities.

The provincial health secretary will head the centre’s technical committee. The other members of this committee will be: additional secretary (development); director general of health; vice chancellor of Liaquat University of Health and Medical Sciences; principal of the Dow Medical College; and, vice chancellor of the Ziauddin Medical University.

The technical committee will be charged with supervising and monitoring the activities of the proposed centre. The committee will also be responsible for resolving inter-organizational and inter-departmental disputes. It will have full authority to discuss the issues raised by the various members.

The committee will nominate people to be sent for training and specialization abroad. It will also resolve the financial and other constraints which may rise from time to time.

Some medical officers, staff nurses, counsellors and statisticians will be working full-time for the centre.