KARACHI, Sept 5: Pre-emptive measures are needed to effectively tackle the HIV/AIDS situation in the country. This was stated at a seminar on "Role of Psychologists in HIV/AIDS prevention, cure and support" , organized by the Psychology Department of Karachi University in collaboration with the Marie Stopes Society.

Addressing the seminar, HIV/AIDS Programme Manager Dr Abdul Khaliq Ghauri said that Pakistan might be a low prevalence, but, a high risk country. Dr Abdul Khaliq, who has been working for the past 12 years in the field of public health and sexually transmitted diseases, highlighted some basic facts about the HIV and the causes of its spread.

He underlined the need to monitor those Pakistanis, who return to the country after a long stay abroad, in order to check the growing risk of HIV/AIDS. Also present on the occasion, Dr Batool Fatima, a clinical psychologist, emphasized on the role of psychologists in facilitating voluntary counselling and testing.

She explained various aspects of counselling and therapy to help patients come to terms with the disease and to avoid infections to others and re-infection to self. Dr Fatima also stressed on the importance of family counselling and social support. -PPI