20000401

Dr Rab for

AIDS test of

people coming

from Middle East

KARACHI: Sindh Health Minister Prof S.M. Rab on Friday called for screening and test for AIDS of people coming from Middle East.

He said this at a one-day workshop on 'AIDS and its control' organised by Sindh AIDS Control Programme of Health Department.

The Minister said the overseas Pakistani coming from Middle East develop AIDS because of the living under congested conditions besides their living away from families.

He said a Pakistani earning 3,000 darhams there cannot think of keeping their families with them.

Prof. Rab said that law exist for medical check-up of passengers coming from outside Pakistan, but it needs to be enforced in letter and spirit.

He called for creation of greater awareness among people against AIDS and said for such awareness there is need for education.

The Director, Sindh AIDS Control Programme said on the occasion that the workshop is being attended by principals of 10 medical colleges in Sindh, medical superintendents of hospitals, directors health services, DHOs, medical officers and incharges of AIDS testing centres.

He said the objective of the workshop is to brief the health managers about existing AIDS conditions in Sindh so that they could motive the doctors and para medical staff against this disease.

He said according to the global survey of UN AIDS, there were 5.6 million people suffered from AIDS till December 31, 1999, whereas 36.3 million were living up with them and another 2.6 million had died of the disease in 1999 alone.

He said under National AIDS Control Programme, 2.395 million people in Karachi were examined till end of 1999 for AIDS presence and according to recent figures the total number of AIDS patients was 187 whereas 1,436 responded positive to HIV AIDS.

Dr. Qamar Abbas, Incharge IEC also addressed the workshop.ÑAPP