ISLAMABAD, Feb 9: Pakistan has asked India to train its health professionals in the administration of Anti-Retro Viral (ARV) therapy for the treatment of HIV/Aids patients.

The Manager of the National AIDS Control Programme, Dr Asma Bokhari, told a briefing here on Wednesday that India had been selected for the training programme because it had a very high quality surveillance system and good experience in managing HIV/Aids patients. She said training in India would also be very cost effective.

The briefing was held at the National Institute of Health to apprise Health Secretary Anwar Mehmood of the different aspects of the HIV/Aids programme components like blood safety, infection control, management of sexual transmitted diseases, availability of the ARV and training of health professionals, etc.

Dr Bokhari said that soon a group of five doctors and as many nurses would leave for India to get training in the ARV protocol at the Tata Institute of Medical Sciences as, she added, their programme suited our requirements and environment.

These doctors and nurses after completion of their training would perform duties at five ARV therapy and opportunistic infection treatment centres, specifically meant for people afflicted with HIV/Aids.

The centres would be set up in Islamabad and the four provincial capitals. After completion of the training, the costly drugs that prolong the quality of life of HIV/Aids patients but not completely cure them would also be available by the end of March, she said.

The training is part of a $47 million (Rs2.85 billion) Enhanced HIV/Aids Control Programme (2003-08), of which $10 million was grant while the remaining a local component.

Dr Bokhari said the pilot phase of a second generation HIV surveillance system was also under implementation in Karachi and Rawalpindi.

Prevention of HIV/STI through blood transfusion is also part of the programme that asks for the setting up of provincial blood transfusion authorities, while delivery of diagnostic kits for the entire country is also expected by the end of March.

Similarly, she said, tenders for the procurement of blood bank equipment and consumables, also part of the programme, hadbeen opened whereas development of guidelines for quality assurance standards in blood safety was also under process.

WHO has also been requested for technical assistance in developing infection control guidelines.

Study identification and mapping of vulnerable groups in ten cities has been completed. Similarly, to speed up the fight against HIV/Aids, tuberculosis and malaria through additional resources, a global fund initiative is being taken, the size of which would be $3.8 million over two years.

Dr Sohail Abbas, Field Director of the HIV/Aids Surveillance Project, also briefed the health secretary.

A reporter adds: The British government will provide financial help to Pakistan for strengthening its National Aids Control Programme (NACP).

The British government would provide 1.5 billion pounds to assist countries in developing action plans for preventing spread of HIV/Aids. This was disclosed during a meeting between a four- member delegation, led by British Deputy High Commissioner Simon Butt, and Health Minister Nasir Khan on Wednesday.

During their discussions, the delegation was informed that Pakistan was a low prevalent, but high-risk HIV/Aids country.

The government was cognizant of the situation and was implementing an enhanced HIV/Aids Control Programme at both national and provincial level to prevent the infection from spreading among high-risk population groups, the minister said.

The health ministry, Mr Khan said, had reviewed the implementation status of the ongoing interventions and the future needs in order to respond to the emerging threat.