Four children found HIV positive in Shikarpur

SUKKUR: After the HIV outbreak, the Divisional Commissioner Larkana, Muhammad Saleem Raza Khuhro, ordered the concerned authorities to set up more blood screening camps across the division. He also ordered to seal all the unregistered clinics, barbershops not practising hygiene and substandard medical labs.At least four more cases of HIV, all children, surfaced in Shikarpur on Monday during screening. The health officer said 50 clinics of quacks, three unregistered maternity homes and a laboratory were sealed in the district.While presiding over a meeting to devise a comprehensive strategy to deal with the prevailing situation as the residents got panicky after the chaotic outbreak of HIV virus in the entire division that affected nearly 90 people, the DC Larkana said during the investigation it has been revealed that the reuse of the syringes are the main source of transfer of the infection.Raza Khuhro also proposed a crackdown against substandard blood banks and decided to set up blood screening camps in Shikarpur, Jaccobabad, Kambher-Shahdadkot and other districts. The meeting was attended by the representatives of the Integrated Health Services (IHS), WHO, Unicef, Sindh Health Care Commission, People’s Primary Healthcare Initiative (PPHI), special secretary health and Vice Chancellor Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Medical University.The Special Health Secretary, Abdul Abbasi, said the blood screening camps had been set up in Ratodero to screen the HIV virus and besides that Hepatitis and other medical tests are also offered by those set ups. He said the government will not leave the HIV victims alone and will provide all medical facilities up to their complete recovery.Meanwhile, the police presented the arrested doctor, who happened to be HIV positive, before the court seeking extension of physical remand in an alleged involvement of spreading the virus among his patients, mostly children. The court extended the remand for three more days.

from The News International - National http://bit.ly/2VNxiHE