PESHAWAR, July 7: The NWFP health department has launched anti-retroviral therapy for HIV/Aids-infected patients, officials said. “The HIV/Aids patients will now be admitted to the medical ward of the Hayatabad Medical Complex. This will also address complaints by NGOs that such patients are refused treatment in public sector hospitals,” they added. Pakistan had imported anti-retroviral drugs from India for HIV/Aids, officials said, adding that orders had been placed with an Indian firm and the drugs had reached Islamabad. It would be made available to patients suffering from HIV/Aids from next month in selected health facilities in the provinces, Islamabad and AJK, they said.

They said the World Health Organisation (WHO) had planned to provide treatment to three million patients by 2005. At present one million patients are getting free drugs worldwide.

Officials said drugs manufactured by multinational pharmaceutical companies were extremely expensive and the government was unable to purchase them. Anti-retroviral drugs were also manufactured by South Africa and Brazil, but they had placed a ban on drug export.

Officials said that about 12 health professionals, including doctors and nurses, had been sent to India for eight-week training course. They had returned trained and started treatment of HIV/Aids patients, they added.

So far, three patients had come at the ARV centre, who had been suggested treatment after carrying out certain tests.

“We have also planned to register infected people with codes because we avoid to disclose their real names,” they said.

Patients, they said, were also advised to visit the hospital for follow-ups. Regular visits helped health professionals evaluate diseases’ status and take action according to requirement.

Pakistan had at present about 2,800 patients, but only 600 to 700 patients would require treatment, they said.

They said a strict surveillance system would be put in place to ensure that those drugs should not be supplied to the market. Their over-the-counter sale could create problems, they added.