THIS is apropos of the news item ‘People with HIV regret bias by medical staff’ (July 5). The reporter has rightly highlighted the menace of HIV and causes of spreading of the virus in Pakistan.

HIV is a lethal disease and spreading fast in Pakistan. According to an estimate, 7,000 cases of injecting drug users (IDUs) have been registered in Karachi. According to official estimates, there are virtually 100,000 HIV positive persons in the country.

In the absence of proper efforts, only 8,000 cases are confirmed. There are around 50,000 HIV positive cases in Sindh, of them 3,926 cases have been identified. Balochistan has also many cases of HIV positive. Among them many are still unidentified.

Turbat has also many positive cases of HIV. According to a local pathologist of Civil Hospital, 756 cases were registered in 2011 but only 13 cases were identified.

The pathologist says most cases of identified HIV are drug addicts who share a syringe. Therefore, the virus spreads fast and easily. Another group of HIV is the people who work in the Gulf countries to earn their livelihood but get HIV in return.

According to the pathologist, there are sufficient equipment and instruments in the Civil Hospital of Turbat, but these cannot be operated owing to lack of qualified staff.

As a result, cases are not being examined properly.

The health ministry of Balochistan should look into the matter.

GHOUS BAKHSH Turbat