ISLAMABAD, Nov 30: Expressing concern over the rise in HIV/Aids cases in the country, the UNAIDS — a United Nations joint programme on HIV/Aids — on Friday said Pakistan had become a ‘concentrated epidemic country’ due to high prevalence of HIV among addicts who injected drugs. Pakistan had previously been described as a ‘low prevalence country’.

The UNAIDS said the prevalence of HIV among drug addicts who used syringes had crossed 16 per cent, which was thrice the threshold of 5 per cent among high-risk users.

“The main engine behind the HIV infection spread in the country are the addicts who inject drugs,” UNAIDS Country Coordinator Arkadiusz Majszyk said at a press briefing held in connection with the World Aids Day. He said illiteracy, limited knowledge about the disease and use of syringe by drug addicts presented an impending dreadful HIV/Aids scenario in the country.

The change in Pakistan’s categorisation from ‘low prevalence country’ to ‘concentrated epidemic country’ has taken place because of persistent high prevalence among one of the categories of high-risk group for three years.

A concentrated epidemic is defined as one in which HIV prevalence in high-risk subpopulations is 5 per cent or higher.

According to the HIV/Aids Surveillance Programme (HASP), round-II, the prevalence rate among addicts injecting drugs was highest in Sargodha (51.5 per cent) followed by Karachi (30 per cent), Larkana (16.75 per cent), Faisalabad (13.2 per cent), Quetta (10 per cent), Lahore (6.5 per cent) and Sukkur (5.2 per cent). In Larkana, HIV prevalence in eunuch sex workers was found to be alarmingly high – 14.07 per cent.

The UNAIDS official was not satisfied with the performance of the National Aids Control Programme and questioned its effectiveness. “I’m not happy with the progress,” he replied when asked about the performance of the programme.

“Despite all the resources being put in by the international agencies the epidemic is growing.”

He called for an integrated approach to handle the problem, instead of the health ministry being the lone crusader. “It is a social, economic and cultural issue and no stand alone intervention will succeed until we put all the ministries together in the fight against HIV/Aids.”

Suggesting a multi-pronged strategy, Mr Majszyk urged continuation of advocacy with political leadership to maintain political will; better spending in health and education sectors; involvement of policy makers, religious leaders, teachers, youth groups and other influential persons in awareness raising at grass roots level; provision of an enabling environment and equal rights to patients living with HIV/Aids; reduction in stigma and discrimination towards HIV/Aids patients; promoting regular research on HIV/Aids and development of proper data; and skill training opportunities for the unemployed HIV/Aids patients.

The reported number of HIV cases in the country is about 3,800, but it is estimated that it can be between 46,000 to 210,000 because most of cases are not reported due to the stigma attached to the disease and ignorance about the infection.