In Pakistan, HIV/Aids first appeared at Karachi’s Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre in 1986 when it was detected by two young medical researchers, who followed the cases of two infected labourers for several years. Unfortunately one disappeared and the other reached a tragic end. His wife was infected, and she gave birth to an infected child who later died. From that early start, the disease has gradually proliferated.

HIV/Aids is not a dominant cause of death in Pakistan, but it is growing due to several factors: moderately high drug use, extra-marital sex, and continuing low awareness of the disease process which is worsened by social taboos and stigma. The majority of cases go unreported. The highest prevalence is in the 15-to 49-year age group, and there is an escalating incidence among injectable drug users (IDUs).

From 90,000 infected cases in 2007, the number has surged to 500,000, which certainly sets alarm bells ringing. The situation is considered dismal in Karachi, Larkana, Faisalabad, Sukkur, Lahore and Rawalpindi, where concentrated incidences of the disease exist. These facts are indicative of the spread of the virus.

Among notable efforts to control HIV prevalence is the UNAIDS’ recently launched joint programme of government and NGO groups, which provides medical care and support for Peshawar’s HIV-infected IDUs. Detoxification centres have been established at several hospitals; the NGO role will be to identify the IDUs and bring them for treatment. Later, the plan is to expand this programme to cover the entire population of drug addicts, reveal the data from the National AIDS Control Programme. —H.S.