Rato Dero epidemic: Three months later, HIV patients wait for a vital drug

Victims' families complain that antiretroviral treatment is still not available in Larkana

KARACHI / LARKANA: About three months have pbaded since the HIV epidemic in Rato Dero was reported for the first time, but many of those who contracted the virus, due to criminal negligence of a doctor, have not yet received the medication they need for the rest of their lives.

While the number of people infected with the incurable virus has now reached 936, the families of the victims, most of them children, are convinced that Larkana health facilities are still unable to provide antiretroviral treatment to patients. HIV sufferers need to survive.

Rs600m allocated for AIDS prevention: CM Murad

"It has been almost three months since we learned that my two-year-old daughter was HIV-positive, but the doctors at the Larkana Pediatrics Center are still telling us to wait," complained Gulbahar Shaikh, a local resident. Rato Dero. "They say the antiretroviral drugs she needs have not arrived in Pakistan since Ethiopia".

"Already, my daughter is showing signs of fever and other symptoms," Gulbahar said, alarmed, to The Express Tribune. "We are seriously worried about his life."

According to data from the Sindh Health Department, 56% of the 936 victims of HIV infection by Rato Dero are children under five years old and 26% are five to 14 years old. Only 16% of victims are between 14 and 45 years old and only 2% are over 45 years old.

According to local media reports, as many as 22 HIV-positive children have died in the last two and a half months. One of them, Aisha, died three weeks ago after being diagnosed with HIV in May. She was not the only one in her family to contract the deadly virus.

"Four of our family's children are HIV positive," said Asadullah Soomro, Aisha's uncle. "Two of them are my children and the other two are my younger brother's." Asadullah said he and other family members have been to the Larkana antiretroviral treatment center every day since the diagnosis of viruses in their children.

"Instead of giving us the antiretroviral drugs our kids need, they just gave us syrup and vitamin tablets," he said. "My niece Aisha would be alive today if she only got the treatment she needed."

Zulfikar Jalbani, another resident of Rato Dero, whose five-year-old son was diagnosed with HIV, recounted a similar experience. "Every day we go to Larkana and get only Septra DS and Velosef antibiotics. Nobody tells us when antiretroviral drugs will be available, "he protested.

The families of HIV-positive miners in Rato Dero are also fed up with the 30-kilometer journey to Larkana every day. "It's unsuccessful," Gulbahar said. "We are going to Larkana again and again because there is no real HIV treatment facility in Rato Dero. Each test takes five to six days and for what? Just so the doctors tell us to wait for the medicine to arrive. "

"Despite official promises, no one is advising or guiding HIV victims and their families locally," said local journalist Jamal Dawoodpoto. "Only the trainee doctors were charged with carrying out screening tests. There is no attempt to organize an awareness campaign on this incurable virus. "

Dr. Sikandar Memon, who heads the HIV / AIDS control program of the Sindh Department of Health, challenged complaints about the lack of availability of antiretroviral therapy. He also pointed out that reports of the deaths of 22 HIV-positive minors were "unconfirmed".

"We have registered 648 of the 770 children who have contracted HIV in Rato Dero and 428 of them are already on antiretroviral therapy," said Dr. Memon. "Of the adults, 124 have been registered and six are receiving antiretrovirals with the help of the Global Fund to fight HIV / AIDS."

Explaining why some HIV patients were not taking antiretrovirals yet and that they were prescribed other medications, he said: "A large number of children who were HIV positive for antiretroviral treatment had various other drugs. diseases, such as diarrhea, tuberculosis, etc. "

A WHO team travels to Pakistan this month as a result of an HIV epidemic

"Before we can start taking anti-HIV drugs, we need to cure the other diseases they suffer from," said The Express Tribune HIV Program Manager. He also pointed out that 122 children initially diagnosed with the virus are also missing from the HIV program database. "We badigned the task of finding them to the ladies of the health staff."

Regarding the lack of HIV treatment facilities at Rato Dero, Dr. Memon admitted that no adequate facility had been put in place, even though the government had announced that it was not in place. Establishment of an HIV treatment center and laboratory in the city. However, he said that these facilities would soon be set up with the help of Agha Khan Hospital.

"In the meantime, we have set up an HIV treatment center at Shaikh Sayed Children's Hospital in Larkana," said Dr. Memon.

Posted in The Express Tribune, July 21^st, 2019.