ISLAMABAD - President Mamnoon Hussain Friday called upon the concerned government institutions, civil society, philanthropists, media and NGOs to play their active role in raising awareness about HIV and AIDS and help make Pakistan free from HIV and AIDS.
The president expressed these views while talking to JVR Prasada Rao, United Nations secretary general's special envoy on HIV/AIDS in Asia & Pacific, who called on him here at the Aiwan-e-Sadr.
The president expressed hope that the visit of UN general's special envoy would help the government of Pakistan further strengthen its national HIV response.
Acknowledging the support of the UN to Pakistan towards AIDS control, the president called upon the international community to help the developing and underdeveloped world in reducing the risks of the infectious disease by sharing advanced knowledge and expertise, besides assisting the governments in accessing the people of remote areas.
As HIV is an issue of global concern, it is important that the international community specially focuses on AIDS prevention and treatment in the less-developed countries, the president said. He remarked that the federal and provincial governments were fully alive to their responsibilities to work towards prevention and cure of the HIV and assured that the government would continue to focus on enhancing the capabilities of the healthcare professionals to cope with the challenges of HIV and AIDS.
Highlighting the government's efforts to combat AIDS, the president said that the ministry of national health services, regulations and coordination, in collaboration with national and provincial aids control programmes and international partners was making concerted and coordinated steps towards prevention and cure of AIDS and addressing various risk factors associated with this disease.
The government of Pakistan will take all possible steps to create an enabling environment for people living with HIV and AIDS so that they can come for testing and treatment services, the president assured.
Rao thanked the president for meeting and appreciated the strong resolve of the government and the various steps being taken for prevention and cure of HIV/AIDS in Pakistan.
Steven J Kraus, director UNAIDS Regional Support Team, Asia and the Pacific, Timo Pakkala, UN resident coordinator for Pakistan, Fahmida Iqbal Khan, community mobilisation and networking advisor, and Marc Saba, representative UNAIDS Pakistan & Afghanistan, accompanied the special envoy.
Saira Afzal Tarar, minister of state for national health services, regulations & coordination, Dr Jehanzeb Khan Aurakzai, director general (health), and Dr Baseer Khan Achakzai, national programme manager, National AIDS Control Programme, were also present on the occasion.