One HIV positive female patient is learnt to have died at Medical Unit-1 of the Chandka Medical College Hospital, Larkana. Her name could not be ascertained but sources said that she belonged to Brohi clan and was the resident of Naseerabad. Her husband is working in Middle East and is also said to be infected there.
The woman, who died a couple of days back, had come to a medical camp organised at the Rural Health Centre, Naseerabad, where she was detected as HIV positive. She was advised to get her blood tested at the HIV/AIDS Surveillance Centre established at the Chandka Medical College Hospital, Larkana, where she again was tested and confirmed but even then her blood samples were sent to Karachi for further and final confirmation. With the death of this patient, the number of HIV/AIDS patients who have so far expired due to this dreaded disease has risen to 14 in Larkana alone.
Another patient Muneera Akhlaque Chandio has been detected as HIV positive and her husband too is said to be HIV positive, who is also working in Middle East from where he was infected, Centre sources further told. With the detection of these two cases, the number of HIV positive cases has reached to 130 in Larkana.
Sindh Government has established Excellence Centre for the HIV/AIDS patients at the Central Laboratory of the Chandka Hospital, where free facilities of diagnostic, treatment and counselling will be provided to the affected patients. Very costly equipment/instruments have also been provided at the Centre for diagnostic purposes.
Sources further said that the promised establishment of Rehabilitation Centre under the administrative control of the Executive District Officer, Health, Larkana, for the affected HIV/AIDS patients had once again been delayed due to non-availability of international donors.
The affected persons and their families have not so far been financially supported either through Bait-ul-Maal or Zakat funds and the families are passing miserable lives.