LAHORE: Punjab is home to more than 80,000 Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) patients while currently around 133,529 people are infected in the country, reveals a report by a private media outlet.
The topic of Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is considered a taboo and instead of dealing with the issue, many people still associate the disease with sexual misconduct.
Though the health department, as per their claims, has begun rigorous awareness campaigns to educate the masses about the disease, very low progress is being reported.
Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) President Professor Ajmal Hasan Naqvi stated that people mostly get infected with HIV after receiving a blood transfusion, organ or tissue transplant from an HIV-infected donor or having unprotected sex with an HIV infected person.
He said that it was the responsibility of health department, civil society and NGOs to create awareness among the masses, otherwise, these shallow media campaigns would not work.
According to the health department spokesperson, several steps had been taken including registration of barbers and establishment of clinics across Punjab to eliminate the menace.
However, Punjab University Social and Behavioral Science Dean Professor Zakria Zakar said that these steps were not enough to deal with the virus. He said the situation was alarming and the government will have to take it as a top priority, otherwise, the deadly disease will be affecting our young generation.
