LAHORE - Adviser to Chief Minister on Health Kh Salman Rafiq has said that United Nations AIDS Control Programme’s Strategy for 2016 to 2020 will be implemented in the province for controlling HIV/AIDS.
Addressing seminar arranged by Punjab AIDS Control Programme in connection with World AIDS Day at a local hotel yesterday, he said that the government was spending Rs400 million annually on AIDS Control Programme and more funds would be provided under new PC-I.
Punjab AIDS Control Programme Director Dr Salman Shahid, Health Director General Dr Amjad Shehzad, representative of Unicef Dr Naila Shahid, Dr Fahmeda of USAID, representative of Global Fund Dr Sajid, Deputy Manager of PACP Dr Faisal, international partners, representatives of NGOs besides a large number of transgender attended the seminar.
Speakers said that AIDS should not be considered a stigma as there were number of causes for its spread.
Dr Salman Shahid said that access to HIV patients was a big challenge as they were reluctant to report due to various reasons. He said that there were 6152 registered AIDS patients in Punjab getting free treatment facilities. He said that a program has also been started to protect the babies of affected women that was yielding encouraging results. He said that out of 177 affected pregnant women only two have given birth to HIV positive babies. He said that NGOs, media, religious leaders and all segments of society would have to make collective efforts for prevention of AIDS. He said that UNAIDS strategy would be implemented on fast track and theme of zero new infection would be given a practical shape. He said that awareness should be promoted in the society against AIDS.
Meanwhile, Kh Salman Rafiq has said that help of International Thalassemia Federation would be sought for establishing a centre of excellence for diagnosis and treatment of Thalassemia patients.
Addressing a seminar on Thalassemia prevention at Fatima Jinnah Medical University, he said that a think tank would soon be set up for devising future strategy for controlling Thalassemia. Vice Chancellor FJMU Prof Sardar Farukh Imam, Special Secretary Health Gulzar Hussain, Medical Advisor International Thalassemia Federation Dr Michael Angastiniotis and Stave Melides, Chairperson Thalassemia Federation of Pakistan Yasmin Rashid, Project Director Punjab Thalassemia Prevention Program Prof Shabnam, Member P&D Dr Shabana, Prof Nisar, Director PIBT Dr Zafar Iqbal, Yasin Khan of Sundas Foundation, children suffering from Thalassemia and parents attended the seminar.
Kh Salman Rafiq stressed the need of making coordinated efforts from one platform for eradication of Thalassemia. He said that regional blood centers would soon start working at Multan and Bahawalpur. He said that RBCs would be established at all divisions including Faisalabad. He said that legislation would be carried out for empowering Punjab Blood Regulatory Authority for monitoring of blood banks.
Earlier, Prof Yasmin Rashid gave a briefing about the efforts being made from the platform of Thalassemia Federation of Pakistan for children suffering from Thalassemia. She submitted proposals for treatment and rehabilitation of affected people.