Commissioner Karachi, Syed Hassan Naqvi, led a meeting to review the ongoing activities of the HIV and AIDS program in the city. The session, held to assess the program’s progress and strategize future actions, included briefings from the Communicable Diseases Control (CDC) and the NGO Nai Zindagi.
Key attendees included Additional Commissioner Karachi Ghulam Mehdi Shah, Deputy Commissioner West Ahmed Ali Siddiqui, Assistant Commissioner Headquarters Rabia Syed, Assistant Commissioner General Hazim Bangwar, Health Department officials, and representatives from Nai Zindagi.
The meeting was informed that the CDC offers free treatment, testing, and consultations for registered individuals, all overseen by medical experts. Currently, over 4,500 people in Karachi are enrolled in the program, receiving comprehensive care and medication at no cost. Most of these individuals are living with HIV and AIDS.
The CDC has established outreach centers closer to the homes of these individuals, improving accessibility compared to previous arrangements where they had to visit a central office for services. A significant outcome of the meeting was the decision to form a District Advisory Body. This new body, chaired by the Deputy Commissioners of each district, will aim to enhance the effectiveness of the HIV and AIDS prevention program.
It will consist of representatives from the CDC, Nai Zindagi, and an additional co-opted member. Commissioner Naqvi instructed all Deputy Commissioners to fully support the CDC and related NGOs in their efforts to combat HIV and AIDS within their districts.
