WHO delegation to visit Larkana for investigating HIV outbreak

KARACHI: World Health Organisation (WHO) delegation has held a meeting with the Sindh health minister Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho, ARY News reported on Wednesday.

The WHO delegation comprising of Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and other.

The delegation will pay a visit to Larkana on Thursday (tomorrow).

The global health agency agreed to coordinate Pakistani authorities in investigation reasons behind the spread of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) through geographical mapping.

Moreover, special diagnostic kits will be provided to the authorities for the treatment of the children infected with the virus besides formulating medical strategies for other patients.

The WHO delegation will also assist in the betterment of HIV centre and camps established in the affected parts.

Officials at the meeting for the WHO investigation on the Larkana HIV breakout. The Sindh Department of Health is grateful to have @WHOPakistan @WHO @UNICEF_Pakistan @UNAIDS and @USAID help us fight HIV in #Sindh pic.twitter.com/yYf6sZB2tl

— Minister for Health and Population Welfare Sindh (@SindhHealthDpt) May 29, 2019

Earlier on Tuesday, a delegation of World Health Organization (WHO) had reached Karachi to visit the areas affected by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) outbreak.

Director General Health Sindh Dr. Masood Solangi received the three-member team of WHO at Karachi airport.

The world health body’s team will visit Larkana, Ratodero and surrounding areas to inspect the HIV Aids situation.

Health Minister of Sindh, Dr Azra Pechuho, secretary health and other health department officials will also be accompanied by the WHO team.

Special Assistant to Prime Minister for National Health Dr Zafar Mirza had written a letter to the WHO and requested for immediately sending a team of experts to Pakistan to visit the areas affected by the HIV epidemic.

According to health officials, HIV has been confirmed in 700 people in Ratodero including 576 children and 124 adults. Pakistan had also requested the WHO to provide diagnostic kits for HIV/AIDS.

The prime minister’s aide on national health in his letter asked the WHO to immediately provide 50,000 HIV diagnostic kits for the crisis areas adding that the HIV cases have reached to epidemic level in Larkana district.