RAWALPINDI, Nov 30: As the ‘World Aids Day’ is being observed on, United Nations Aids (UNAids) has called upon countries to realign their prevention programme by better understanding how the most recent infections were transmitted and the reasons why they occurred.

The National Aids Control Programme (NACP), in its progress report, says Pakistan is still categorised as ‘concentrated epidemic country with HIV prevalence among the population currently less than one per cent. In line with the epidemic trend, there has been a renewed focus by the government and development partners towards rapidly scaling up prevention and service delivery programmes for most at risk populations particularly injecting drug users (IDUs), nevertheless coverage is still a major challenge facing Aids programmes.

In light of latest developments, the National Strategic Framework was recently revised and is the basis of a new five-year initiative by the government.

The report, prepared on the Declaration of Commitment on HIV/Aids for UN General Assembly’s Special Session on HIV/Aids, estimated that 85,000 people were currently living with HIV/Aids in the country with the HIV prevalence less than one in overall population.

A majority of HIV positive cases earlier reported to NACP was among Pakistanis living or traveling abroad, who became infected through risky behaviours and were deported back to Pakistan. Presently there are more indigenously-infected individuals reported particularly among those individuals who are classified as belonging to the most at risk population which include injecting drug users, sex workers, jail inmates and prisoners.