KARACHI, Nov 9: Patients suffering from HIV/AIDS are facing immense problems in getting proper care, as the treatment centre planned a year ago has not been fully established yet in the Civil Hospital Karachi.

The National Aids Control Programme had announced to establish the said centre almost a year ago, but it could not implement the same despite several assurances given by the high officials, sources in the health department told PPI on Wednesday.

So far, two rooms in the Medical Unit-II of the CHK are spared for the proposed treatment centre and a number of staff including research officer, counsellor, medical officer, nurse and other employees were appointed on contract basis. As the proposed centre is not equipped with necessary instruments and related facilities, the staff appointed for the centre is usually found absent. Some of the staffers are working at the aids control head office, and a few at the referral lab of Service Hospital.

At present, patients suffering from HIV/Aids are only being provided with OPD facility including consultation and investigation, which is functioning since 1999, but they are unable to get proper treatment and medicines.

Owing to the situation, when a patient is diagnosed with HIV/AIDS reactive, the hospital staff immediately tries to discharge them and avoid coming in contact with them, hospital sources say. —PPI