Collective efforts are needed to defeat HIV-AIDS: Kiani



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Minister of Health Urges Society to Avoid Stigma Associated with Disease

Federal Minister of National Health Services Aamer Mehmood Kiani (R). PHOTO: EXPRESS

Federal Minister of National Health Services Aamer Mehmood Kiani (R). PHOTO: EXPRESS

The government is committed to making sincere efforts to improve access to HIV prevention and treatment services and their use.

"We are committed to working with all stakeholders to promote HIV awareness and minimize stigma and discrimination against the victims of the disease," said Federal Minister of Health Services Aamer Mehmood Kiani.

The government also aims to help people living with HIV by creating an inclusive environment and by adopting an integrated multisectoral approach to addressing the socio-economic determinants responsible for the spread of HIV in the country. He said this at a seminar on World AIDS Day.

The Minister of Health said that Pakistan has about 150,000 people living with HIV. Of these, only 25,000 cases are registered in the country's 33 HIV treatment centers.

The increase in HIV cases is a problem for Baluchistan

"We must all shoulder our responsibilities and recognize the essential role we must play as a society in freeing Pakistan from HIV. We still have a chance today when Pakistan is facing a concentrated HIV epidemic, "he said.

A targeted approach is needed to solve this problem. "We must unite to avoid a full-fledged HIV epidemic by taking immediate preventative measures, encouraging HIV testing and treatment, and fighting HIV-related stigma and discrimination to reduce the number of new infections." to HIV. "

Kiani said a series of outreach sessions had been held at the community level as part of public awareness campaigns, educational institutes, decision-making institutions and hospitals, to share important information and statistics about the HIV epidemic in the country.

Number of public sector doctors to check

The Pakistani government also provides free HIV testing and treatment services, he added. "We hope that every day will become an AIDS Awareness Day until we can liberate the threatened country."

The Ministry of National Health, Regulatory and Co-ordination has made concrete and concerted efforts within the National AIDS Control Program to raise public awareness of HIV and has adopted an evidence-based approach. and high impact for the coming years, focused on the prevention and treatment of the disease. affected communities.

Dr. Baseer Khan, head of the national AIDS program, said that the theme "Knowing one's status", which is dedicated to World AIDS Day in 2018, was also a reinforcement of basic human rights to each individual to seek basic health services and to know his state of health. "Throughout the week, we had the opportunity to realize that HIV can be prevented and treated, so let's all take the first step towards HIV liberation in Pakistan as responsible citizens of this great country," he said. declared Baseer.

Posted in The Express Tribune, November 30th, 2018.

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