ISLAMABAD: The Senate was informed on Tuesday that the government has taken various steps to control the increasing number of AIDS patients in the country.
Responding to a question during Questions Hour in the Senate, Minister for National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination in a written reply said that government has gradually increased coverage of prevention services among key population from current 16 to 26 CBOs (Community Based Organizations) which will enhance prevention coverage. Low testing and treatment coverage will be increased by gradual increase in HIV Clinics across the country. Currently we have 50 HIV Clinics in the country.
The minister said that the government is in process of establishment of three new HIV Clinics each in Islamabad, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu Kashmir (AJK). Similarly all eight District Headquarter Hospitals, merged districts are planning to establish HIV Clinics in all districts.
He further said that the government of Sindh and Punjab are planning to establish HIV clinics. Balochistan have two HIC clinics and three will be functional within next six months and two more will be established by end of December 2023, adding that the government is providing free testing (HIV Rapid kits, CD4 tests and HIV PCR Viral Load tests) and lifelong medicines to all patients. Despite the COVID-19 epidemic, the government has successfully managed and ensured no medicine is out of stock and testing facilities in the country, he added.
He said that Government has planned to ban use of reusable injections/syringes in whole country, adding that Pharma Industry is encouraged to manufacture Auto-destructible syringes only, adding that Government has newly established 16 Regional Blood Banks at divisional level in all four provinces and regions including Gilgit-Baltistan and AJK where state of the art equipment is being installed to ensure provision of safe blood across the country, the minister added.