1,65,000 people affected by AIDS in Pakistan: NACP

The number of HIV/AIDS patients in Pakistan currently standsat 1,65,000, the National AIDS Control Program (NACP) said, adding that 9,565new cases were detected this year.

"Only 36,902 people are registered with the NACP. Ofwhich, around 20,994 are undergoing treatment," The Express Tribunereported on Monday citing the NACP data as saying. As many as 6,426 peoplecontracted the disease after administering drugs from contagious syringes.

"There are 18,220 male and 4,170 female patients –including 546 male children and 426 female children – registered with theNACP," the data said.

During the year, Rato Dero, a small area in Larkana city of Sindh, alone reported 895 cases of AIDS. Of these, 754 constitute children and 141 adults.

From April to November 30, about 37,558 people had undergone HIV screening in Larkana, out of which 1,195 were reported with the suspected presence of the virulent germs. The NACP data further states, at the end of 2018, the number of registered AIDS affected patients was 23,757 out of which 15,821 were receiving treatment.

On the other hand, according to a report issued by the UNAIDS Control Program last year, the number of AIDS patients in Pakistan hadincreased alarmingly over the past two decades.

The estimated number of patients during the year 2000 was just 500, which increased to more than 160,000. The total number of deaths caused by the disease till 2000 was only 100 that shoot-up to 6,400 in 2018.

In 2000, the number of patients registered for AIDS in Pakistan was 200, which had risen to 22,000 in 2018. As per the report, 14 percent of the AIDS patients are aware of the disease, but 10 percent of the patients were having self-treatment. Out of 160,000 patients, over 48,000 were women.