HIV infection outbreak still prevalent in Ratodero.

Massive HIV outbreak among children of Ratodero not only astonished the world but it also exposed the working the Sindh AIDS Control Program (SACP) in Sindh. The Provincial government established SACP with the sole aim of controlling spread of HIV and providing proper treatment to the affected people at their doorstep so that positive cases continue to get medical facilities in their own area and they should not run from pillar to post for their right to health. In this connection when this scribe talked to Dr. Imran Akbar Arbani, the first doctor who unearthed HIV outbreak on 24th April 2019 in Ratodero, said: 'HIV infection outbreak is still prevalent in Ratodero area as no serious action has so far been taken by government to stop the reasons of this disease.' He said screening of whole Ratodero population is very much necessary to know the level / gravity of HIV infection. About 0.33 million is population of Ratodero, up to 22 December 2019 and only 11% population i-e 38200 people were screened for HIV out of which 1221 people have been detected as HIV Reactive among them are 970 children and 251 are adults.

'We have to monitor the screening of patients, either it's being done properly or it's just formality, because I have noted many false negative cases at the screening camp, as those cases were positive at Aga Khan lab and at PPHI lab, he added. I have documented proofs of all those cases, if any one wants to check it, he/she is most welcome,' he said. He said treatment protocols should be followed as in rest of the...