KARACHI, June 15: A total of 94 drug addicts from Karachi, using injections and syringes as a mode of drug intake, have tested HIV positive during two phases of a study conducted by Enhanced HIV/AIDS Control Programme and DFID from June to Dec 2003 and from January 1 to May 31 this year.

Dr Syed Sharaf Ali Shah, Programme Manager, Enhanced HIV/AIDS Control Programme, Sindh talking to APP on Tuesday said the trend being extremely alarming needed to be tackled at the very grass roots level with concerted efforts to eradicating the menace of "availability of the drug" itself.

Mentioning that it had severe socio-economic as well as serious health implications, the senior doctor and researcher also underscored the need for concrete measures for detoxification and rehabilitation of the estimated number of five million drug addicts across the country.

Elaborating his stance he said, the recent study undertaken in four various cities of the province with regard to tracing HIV prevalence among the addicts' population was a mere tip of the iceberg, as injecting drug users (IDUs) suffered from various blood borne diseases, and could also emerge as a major source of their spread in society in general.

It was not only that their spouse and kids were the unassuming victims; but the fast growing number of addicts owing to various factors, and the rampant trend among society to ignore and push the former to the wall was itself an issue.

"The harsh fact remains that 80 to 90 per cent of drug addicts happen to be infected with Hepatitis C," he said, reminding that the very ailment was no less disastrous as compared to HIV/AIDS, and needed to be extended due consideration.

He reiterated that each and every segment of society had to play its role in not only eliminating the drug addiction menace, but also to pull back addicts back into the mainstream.

Reverting to the 94 IDUs found HIV positive, he said, these addicts were among a total of 1,357 IDUs that had registered with three drop-in centres at Essa Nagri, Burnes Road and Malir - operating under the Harm Reduction Programme (HRP) - for voluntary testing.

He said the HRP - being managed by reputable NGOs and aimed at reducing vulnerability of IDUs against HIV infection - was initiated some two years back in various major cities of Pakistan with the support of Britain through its Department of International Development (DFID).

The programme was also providing HIV counselling and testing services the IDUs. Efforts were being made to reduce the possible harm that could be caused to drug addicts, Dr Sharaf Ali Shah said, hinting at the easy as well as low cost availability of drugs that could be administered through injections, as a cause of serious concern.

"It is not only that accessibility to such drugs be contained, but immediate and stern action is required to prevent availability of all contraband drugs in the country," he stressed.

Previously, 702 IDUs were tested from June to December 2003, and only three of them were found to have the virus, he said in an answer to a query. According to Dr Shah, necessary examination of addicts in Larkana, Sukkur and Hyderabad under the arrangements similar to those made in Karachi revealed that while none of the examined IDUs in the latter two cities were found HIV positive, no less than 47 in Larkana tested positive for HIV, bringing the total number of IDUs infected to 141.

The Sindh Aids Control Programme identifying changes in pattern and trends of HIV epidemic in the province had scaled up its activities, focusing on interventions to reduce vulnerability of IDUs for HIV infection and subsequent spread of infection to the general population.

Highlighting the significance of the issue, the programme manager reminded that research studies conducted jointly by UNDCP and UNAID at Lahore in 1999 and at Karachi in 2000 documented high prevalence of Hepatitis C and syphilis among IDUs.

According to him, while none of the studied IDUs only a few years back in Lahore and Karachi tested positive for HIV infection, yet sharing of syringes, sketchy character and their questionable moral practices as well as tendency to sell blood for sake of money - further spent to procure drugs - were and are the facts which enhanced their vulnerability to varied infections including HIV/AIDS.