SUKKUR: In a tragicomic situation, bulk of the Rs 600 million budget allocated for the AIDS control programme has lapsed, while rest of the amount has been spent on the staff salaries and counseling following the episodic eruption of AIDS epidemic in Larkana just only a few months ago.Despite the large scale misery and the political storm it stirred, the HIV positive and AIDS patients are totally dependent on international organisations for their monthly dosage of critical antiretroviral drugs and the HIV test kits. At this point in time, 1,062 HIV positive patients have so far been identified who need treatment.Sadly most of the allocated amount was spent on the staff payroll and counseling, while the budget allocated for medicines and the test kits has lapsed without the patients benefiting from it. While it is questionable as to how the Rs600 million budget lapsed despite an AIDS epidemic blowing in the face of the government, the patients mostly children have been left at the mercy of the Global Fund, an international NGO for HIV, AIDS. This could well trigger another emergency in case the medicine in case and test kits are not available.The World Bank had given $1,700 million for AIDS Control Programme from 2003-2009. But the fund was instead used for rehabilitation in the aftermath of the 2010 mega flood. This prompted withdrawal of AIDS funding.
from The News International - National https://ift.tt/2oj6dwS
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