The number of HIV/AIDS cases in Larkana is rising alarmingly, and according to an independent sources some 500 HIV/AIDS patients were present in Larkana, while the number of registered HIV/AIDS is 148 that include 10 women.
The first HIV-AIDs case in Larkana was detected in the year 1991 in a local woman. A total of 40 patients have so far been died of the disease including the first affected woman.
According to a survey conducted by the PPI, drug use through injections is the major cause of spread of AIDS/HIV. To contain this deadly disease, a surveillance centres was established in Larkana in 2001 and a treatment centre in 2006. The proposed rehabilitation centre in Larkana district was yet to be established. It is learnt that Larkana district alone has some 3,000 drug addicts using. Five HIV positive cases had also been detected when prisoners of Larkana jail were screened.
Nowadays, this disease is spreading among street children for which the authorities have not taken preventive measures. It is learnt that there are some 3,000 street children in Larkana.
Those died of AIDS include Mujahid Channa, Zulfiqar Shaikh, Ali Gohar Chandio, Ali Gul Magsi, Arshad Samo, Zulfiqar Jatoi, Ghulam Shabbir Bhutto, Mushtaque Shaikh, Mujahid Shaikh, Manthar Abro and others. A body of an unidentified drug addict was found here on Monday last. There is a need to set up shelter house to provide protection to street children, on the line of such shelter houses in Lahore and Multan.
Ironically, the unregistered and illegal blood banks are also spreading this disease. There are dozens of such blood banks in the district, operating freely without any legal action by the concerned authorities.