200,000 HIV patients in country
Minister for Primary and Secondary Healthcare Dr Jamal Nasir said that HIV is not worrisome but a treatable disease. Drug users are becoming prey more to AIDS. “HIV patient can lead a normal life after getting treatment,” he observed while addressing Punjab AIDS Control Programmes officers during a briefing here. Punjab AIDS Control Programme PD Dr Farooq gave a detailed briefing on initiatives and achievements undertaken during previous year 2022.
Dr Jamal Nasir urged the PACP to raise awareness among the general public about the HIV and its treatment. Hate HIV, not the patient, should be a motto of doctors, he added.
The minister said that the chief minister would be apprised of recruitment in PACP and its limited resources. During visit to state-of-the-art diagnostic lab, the minister was briefed that around 200,000 patients of HIV are in the country out of which 92,000 are registered in Punjab.
Around 8,000 patients of AIDS die every year in the country while only 800 die in Punjab.
Model pharmacies: Caretaker Provincial Health Minister Dr Javed Akram said that model pharmacies are being established in govt hospitals of Punjab to discourage local purchase of medicines. He said this during his visit to Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) House on Thursday. PMA President Prof Dr Ashraf Nizami and other officials received the caretaker provincial health minister warmly.
