To commemorate World AIDS Day 2009, Mir Khalil-ur-Rahman Memorial Society (MKRMS) in collaboration with Punjab AIDS Control Program (PACP), UNICEF, UNAIDS, European Commission and Interact Worldwide arranged a Public Awareness Seminar on “Prevent HIV/AIDS through responsible behavior – Avoid drugs, unsafe sharing of needles and unscreened blood” recently at a local hotel in Lahore.
Dr. Ali Razzaq, Project Manager, PACP said that the theme of this year World AIDS Day is Universal Access and Human Rights.
The modes of HIV/AIDS transmission include contact with infected blood, used syringes and especially through unsafe practices. The stigma attached to HIV/AIDS and patients avoid getting treatment. People should not discard AIDS patients because the disease is non-transmitted through handshaking, eating food, using towel and bathroom etc. He urged the policy makers, religious scholars to play its role in creating awareness among the people regarding prevention of HIV/AIDS. Stigma and discrimination with HIV/AIDS is an obstacle in prevention. Awareness can be done by the help of media, so media role is very important.
He said the government of Pakistan is offering free of cost treatment to AIDS patients. A total of 10 NGOs are working in different districts of Punjab, which had established 120 blood banks and 13 AIDS prevention centres across the province.
Prof. Dr Javed Akram, Principal Allama Iqbal Medical College said the first AIDS patients in Pakistan emerged in 1981 and the virus was detected in 1983. AIDS is the fourth largest killer disease in the world. If a patient acquires AIDS, he will have to live with it for life because it could only be controlled and not fully cured. The disease was transferred to human beings through monkeys. Precautionary measures should be adopted to prevent HIV/AIDS.
Dr. Zahid Pervaiz, Medical Superintendent Mayo Hospital, said that as many as 150 AIDS patients were registered with the Mayo Hospital and 80 patients were getting full-fledged treatment. The hospital is also providing free food and medicines to these patients,” he added.
Dr. Ghulam Siddique on the occasion said that HIV is spread through contact with the infected blood of AIDS patients, barber’s tools, ear and nose piercings, usage of unsterilised instruments by roadside dentists, transmitted the disease among people.
Dr. Sadaqat Ali, Professor of Surgery Services Hospital, said if the doctors diagnosed AIDS among any patient should inform him and his family so that its spreading chances must be lesser.
Other who spoke on the occasion includes; Dr. Nasir Sarfraz, Dr. Abid Atiq, Dr. Jamil Ahmed Chaudhry, Dr. Noor, Dr. Hashim and others also spoke.