Provincial Programme Manager of Sindh AIDS Control Programme (SACP) Dr Saqib Ali Shaikh has said that 16 treatment centers are working in Sindh, out of which four were established during the current fiscal year, which include Taluka Headquarter Hospital in Ratodero, Pediatric Hospital in Larkana, LUMHS ART Centre in Hyderabad and GMMMC ART Centre in Sukkur for the benefit of HIV positive children and adults. He was talking to this scribe on Monday.
In reply to a question as to why endowment fund amount of Rs 1 billion has not yet been released by the Finance Department despite announcement by PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, he said that the account of the endowment fund for Ratodero has been opened, the endowment fund amount is also ensured and secured to the Health Department, the release request of funds in the same account is still awaited from the Finance Department and the process has paused due to COVID-19 lockdown.
Dr Saqib added that Financial Experts on investment are taken on board to smartly get the profit through the Term Deposit and Daily Product and then utilize it on the affected children under a policy for their adherence to treatment and education.
In reply to yet another question as to what has been done so far for rehabilitation of affected children & adults Dr Shaikh said that state of the art Treatment Center has been established at Ratodero in collaboration with UNICEF staff of Physicians, counselors, Case Managers, etc recruited for providing treatment & testing facilities, treatment adherence is ensured through placing a local NGO Bridge Consultants in the community, ensured access to free screening, testing and care for most vulnerable and hard to reach communities, engagement with communities and provide awareness to HIV Prevention & Care is being provided through Community Based discrimination Programme addressing prevention of HIV, reducing stigma and discrimination by establishing mothers, fathers, teachers and religious support groups and ensuring living support to the most in need through the Association of People Living with HIV (APLHIV). Dr Saqib claimed that during the COVID lockdown, ensuring uninterrupted supply of ART at their doorsteps and ensuring ration and cash transfers through the District Administration.
Replying to yet another question that whether sources of transmission had been curbed or not, he emphatically said that not yet. He said Infection Prevention Control (IPC) is an ongoing process and needs constant monitoring and timely actions. He said Sindh Health Care Commission, Sindh Blood Transfusion Authority and Drug Regulatory Authority are extensively working to curb the menace of source of transmission though their developed systems. He said Health Department in support with Academia and UN Donors is building capacities of Health care Providers at all levels to know the basics of IPC and also implement it during service provision in hospitals and clinics adding Health Department has also planned to launch an extensive Programme on IPC in Sindh soon.
Replying another question about usage of auto-lock syringes he said that the directions from the Health Department and the Minister of Health have clearly been sent to the Drug Regulatory Authority to implement at least 80% of Auto Lock Syringes in the province. He said process of procurement and ensuring the availability of the same in the health system is in process and will be very closely monitored through Sindh Health Care Commission.
According to SACP official data, 1351 cases were detected up to 22nd April 2020 which means over 4 cases were found daily in Ratodero during the past year including holidays. Out of 1351, as many as 1036 are children among them 633 are males and 403 females and out of 315 total adult cases 94 are men and 221 females. This indeed is very alarming and very tragic situation which should have been tackled on emergency basis but the provincial government did nothing except mobilizing international donors to come to their aid. Even the endowment fund of rupees one billion has not yet been released which was announced by PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and kept in the current annual budget expiring two months later which could have been utilized for rehabilitation of the affected families.
In this connection when this Scribe contacted internationally known expert on HIV/AIDS and former SACP Chief, Dr. Sharaf Ali Shah, he said that outbreak still continues in Ratodero, HIV tests being conducted until recently both at the Ratodero HIV treatment center and in the community show HIV prevalence of more than 2%. He said that if HIV prevalence in general population is more than 1% then it is considered generalized epidemic. Dr. Shah said that a rural community of about 4,00.000 population with more than 1000 children HIV positive is a serious challenge not for the affected community but also for whole province and the country as well. He said that certainly emergence of COVID-19 has pushed all health problems to back burner and whole world has almost forgotten all other serious issues but Dr Shah added HIV outbreak in Ratodero which has not been contained yet needs immediate attention.
However, Dr, Imran Akbar Arbani, who first broke the story of availability of HIV positive children, said that positive children very badly need inclusion in federal government’s Ehsas Kifalat Programme and Insurance Policies which will not only improve their lives when they are grown up but these will also bring an end of stigma and discrimination which they are facing in the society. He said that finance department has released 3rd and 4th quarter withheld funds under M&R works of Chief Minister’s Secretariat/House amounting to Rs 15.104 million during current month then why endowment fund cannot be released for these poverty-ridden children.
