The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government will soon introduce a comprehensive legislation on prevention and control of HIV/AIDs as a bill is recently tabled in provincial assembly.
The bill is tilted as “The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa HIV and AIDS (prevention, control, treatment and protection) bill 2021.
According to a press release issued here on Friday, the legislation is moved by Dr. Sumera Shams, Member of the Provincial Assembly and Chairperson of the Women Parliamentary Caucus.
The content of the proposed legislation was discussed in multi-stakeholder consultation organized by Blue Veins and Transaction Pakistan working to promote and protect the rights of vulnerable communities.
It is discussed that there is a dire need to prevent and control the transmission of HIV-AIDS in the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to undertake measures for the treatment, care and support of people living with HIV and AIDS and others at risk.
The proposed legislation will provide measures for prevention, management and control of HIV and AIDS, to provide for the protection and promotion of public health and for the appropriate treatment, counselling, support and care of persons infected
Dr Asghar Khan, Project Director Integrated HIV, Hepatitis & Thalassemia Control Programme Khyber Pakhtunkhwa said that “Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Govt is committed to prevent and respond to the cases of HIV, improve services and treatment, a comprehensive legislation would help ensure the services”.
Qamar Naseem Program Coordinator Blue Veins said, “protection of human dignity in the context of HIV is essential to ensure an effective, rights-based response to HIV and AIDS. An effective response requires the implementation of all human rights, civil and political, economic, social and cultural, and fundamental freedoms of all people, in accordance with existing human rights standards”.
Farzana Jan, President of TransAction said, “Many transgender people face stigma, discrimination, social rejection, and exclusion. HIV prevention for transgender people should be the core priority in HIV prevention and response as part of high impact prevention approach.”
