LARKANA: A 10-member team of the World Health Organisation (WHO) on Monday visited Larkana to see progress on HIV prevention and treatment services here, sources said.

During its stay the team, which came from the regional office of Cairo and headquarters, held a meeting with Sindh Health Minister Dr Azra Pechuho, local administration, programme manager of Sindh AIDS Control Programme (SACP) and other stakeholders, they added.

The provincial SACP manager briefed the team about the current situation, the action taken so far and appreciated the kind of support the WHO had extended from the very first day of HIV epidemic in Ratodero.

The personnel of the health ministry also briefed the visiting members of the WHO team about the decisions taken at policy level for resource allocation and recruitment of human resource with regard to Larkana situation of HIV, the sources said.

The WHO regional director assured continuous support for health in Pakistan. The WHO’s country representative assured continuous supply of infection-prevention and control material for different health facilities. The AIDS treatment medicines, HIV testing kits and the material required for infection prevention and control were handed over to the ministry of health.

Later, the WHO-supported labour room at Shaikh Zayed Hospital for Women and nutrition stabilisation centre at Shaikh Zayed Children Hospital were inaugurated.

Minister Pechuho along with SACP programme manager Dr Sikandar Memon also visited Taluka Hospital Ratodero.

The team visited paediatric treatment centre for HIV/AIDS at Shaikh Zayed Children Hospital as well.

Meanwhile, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) was finalised between Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Medical University and Brown University of USA to work together on HIV in women. The MoU is expected to be signed in a couple of days in Karachi, according to sources.

Published in Dawn, July 30th, 2019