World AIDS Day 2023
ISLAMABAD: In the first 11 months of the current year, 9,284 individuals in Pakistan tested positive for HIV, with an estimated annual infection rate of around 30,000, officials disclosed on Friday. Despite a global decrease in HIV infections, Pakistan stands out as one of the countries where new cases are consistently rising, particularly in Punjab, declared the most-affected province, where approximately 52 percent of individuals are HIV positive.
During a ceremony in Islamabad marking World AIDS Day 2023, Iftikhar Shallwani, Federal Secretary of Health, emphasized the need for HIV prevention units in the most-affected districts, including cities like Larkana, Kasur, Sargodha, and Lahore. Shallwani acknowledged the country’s struggle to control HIV and urged collaborative efforts to address it, drawing parallels with the successful management of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The ceremony, organized by the Ministry of National Health Services in collaboration with the Common Management Unit and UN partners, brought together infectious diseases experts, public health professionals, and international health agencies.
Federal Health Secretary Shallwani stressed the deployment of frontline workers to identify HIV-positive individuals and prevent new infections, likening the challenge to the fight against polio.
UN Resident Coordinator Julien Harneis highlighted the increasing prevalence of HIV among specific groups, such as men having sex with men, injectable drug users, transgenders, and female sex workers. He called for enhanced awareness and screening within these communities.
Federal Health Minister Dr. Nadeem Jan, though unable to attend, reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to eradicating the AIDS epidemic by 2030, aligning with global HIV milestones. Yuki Takemoto, Country Director of UNAIDS Pakistan, emphasized the role of community leadership in ending AIDS as a public health threat in Pakistan on World AIDS Day 2023. The event underscored the urgency of collaborative efforts to address the rising HIV infections in the country.
