LAHORE:Punjab Caretaker Minister for Primary and Secondary Healthcare Dr Jamal Nasir on Thursday said that HIV was not worrisome but a treatable disease.
The minister Health was addressing the Punjab Aids Control Programs (PACP) officers during a briefing here.
He said that drug users were becoming prey more to AIDS. He said that an HIV patient could lead a normal life after getting treatment.
Dr Jamal Nasir urged the PACP officers to raise awareness among the general public about the HIV and it’s treatment. “Hate HIV, not the patient should be a motto of doctors,” he added. The minister said that the CM Punjab would be apprised of recruitment in PACP and its limited resources.
The minister said that drug users were the source of Aids spread. Pakistan stood at third in the list of HIV patients after Nepal and India, he alarmed.
During visit to state-of-the-art diagnostic lab, the minister was briefed that around 200,000 patients of HIV were in the country out of which 92,000 were registered in Punjab. Around 8000 patients of Aids died every year in the country while only 800 died in Punjab due to effective Aids Control Program.
Earlier, PD Punjab Aids Control Program Dr Farooq gave a detailed briefing on initiatives and achievements undertaken during previous year 2022.