Amraiz Khan
Amid a plague of different social and other challenges, the provincial metropolis has been ranked first in the number of AIDS cases in the country.
As of January 1, 2020, the number of AIDS patients in Punjab was 20,956, with Lahore tops the list with 3,380 cases. On the hand, the health department could not use even 50% of the budget released for the AIDS control program during last financial year. Despite the increase in the number of patients, the health department could not utilize even 50 per cent of the budget released in the last financial year for the AIDS control program.
In view of the growing number of patients, it was decided to extend the AIDS control program for another three years.
The Provincial Development Board has approved the revised Planning Commission of the AIDS Control Program. In the last financial year 2019-20, funds to the tune of Rs222 million were released for the AIDS control program, of which only Rs97.1 million could be utilized. In view of the increasing number of AIDS patients, the Health Department has decided to extend the AIDS Control Program for another 3 years. The three-year extension will add Rs1.26 billion to the cost of the program. The Provincial Development Board has also approved a revised PC-l of Rs3.34 billion for a three-year extension.
According to the officials record, since 2016, Rs1.19 billion has been released for the AIDS control program costing Rs 2.8 billion.
The officials, privy to the development, seeking not to be named, blamed the traditional ‘tapism’ for the deteriorating situation. They regretted that there is no coordination between the departments concerned tasked with monitoring and fighting the deadly disease. They said that the prevailing situation warrants all-out efforts to bring the spread of the disease under control, saying various issues have worsened the social background and paved the way for diseases like AIDS. AIDS is a deadly disease that was discovered in 1981. AIDS is spread by a virus that destroys the human immune system. Any disease that enters the human body after its attack becomes a very serious and lead the patient to a deadly situation.
This bacterium is called HIV. The AIDS virus is found mostly in the blood and sexual fluids.
But it can also be found in other body fluids such as saliva, tears, urine and sweat.
