50 HIV+ cases reported in Ratodero, Larkana in three months

Approximately 50 HIV positive cases detected in three months in Ratodero, Larkana with an increased number of children.

One more HIV-AIDS case has been reported in a child in Ratodero, raising the number of cases to 22.

Pathologist Dr. Abdul Hazeef who heads the Peoples Primary Health Initiative in Jacobabad has revealed to the news source that in the last month the blood samples of 16 children for HIV testing were sent to PPHI Sindh Laboratory.

“Sixteen of the thirteen children have tested positive for HIV. The children are between the ages of four months and eight years,” Dr. Abdul Hafeez said.

He further added that a detailed report would be sent to the Director General (DG) Health after further tests are carried out.

Larkana continues to top the list of districts most affected by HIV in Sindh with the number of AIDS patients in Larkana rising to more than 2,400.

In-charge of the Aids Control Programme in Sindh Dr. Sikander Memon has informed news source that tests for the HIV positive children and their parents would be retaken immediately.

Dr. Memon said, “Often these laboratories use kits from China which have a tendency to give false positive results. To verify these results we will use the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommend kits. If there is an issue, then we will know about it today or tomorrow”.

According to an estimate by Dr. Memon, there were over 100,000 HIV positive people in Sindh, however, the Aids Control Programme has only 10,350 registered patients who are provided treatment.

“There isn’t a shortage of medicine and under the programme, specific groups are given preference,” he further added.

Another news source has revealed that 15 to 20 positive cases were detected at their private clinics in the last three months in Ratodero. Children aged between eight months to five years have been tested positive for HIV.

The news source also reveals that a number of 20 HIV positive people have expired recently.

The source claims the usage of HIV infected syringes is a major cause in the spread of infection among the children.