Soaring AIDS Number – Who is Accountable?

“A few days after Ali’s* death, I received a call from his family saying that they want to donate in the name of their son who was under my treatment. I sent my team to their home and they returned with loads of stuff –furniture, air conditioner, clothes, accessories, beddings, crockery, clock – it’s hard to recall what was not there. The charitable contribution was above par, it made me wonder about their munificence. I shared this thought with my mates and they told me that the family wanted to get rid of all the things lying in his room. They were scared they would be infected with AIDS if they touched them,” says Dr Saleem Azam.

Dr Azam who is working actively for the prevention of HIV in Pakistan unfolded stories of many HIV patients on World AIDS Day. Ali* was just one of them. He was a young, educated, full-of-life and a happily married businessman, until the day he was diagnosed with AIDS. While he was fighting the war of depression, anger and helplessness within himself, the penalty of life imprisonment was imposed upon him by his very own family. But, his prison was not the typical one! As it was owned by those he loved, it had all the luxuries - the only similarity was that he couldn't meet his family members, not even on special occasions. Ali left this ruthless world after a short duration treatment. Doctors say he died of AIDS but I feel arrogance, hardheartedness and social isolation are equally responsible for his death.

Since 1986 when the first local case of AIDS was diagnosed in Pakistan, there is an 11% increase in the number of AIDS patients annually. According to UNAIDS, there are nearly one lac HIV positive people in Pakistan, with 50,000 in Sindh and an 80% majority in Karachi. What’s more astonishing is that only 7000 patients out of this huge total are under treatment and only 3524 out of 50,000 are registered in Sindh. These grim stats raise some important questions: Where are the rest of infected people? Why are they not registered? When the government provides free medicine for HIV, why are the patients not availing it? The answers speak for themselves– it is the HIV-related stigma, discrimination and prejudices prevalent in the society.

Let’s be honest! When you hear of an AIDS patient whose partner is not positive, what is the first cause of disease that comes to your mind? Extramarital affair? Well, you are not alone! A large number of people have this prejudice against HIV patients. HIV is mainly spread by having sex with someone who has HIV, but it can also be transmitted through blood or contaminated organ/tissue transplants, and sharing needles or syringes. In short, the virus has same modes of transmission as Hepatitis B and C but many people don’t consider it a disease, they think of it as a sex offense! Besides the fear of discrimination and social boycott, these prejudices prevent the patients from disclosing their identities and getting the treatment they deserve.

HIV prevalence among injecting drug users (IDUs) in Pakistan has reached 50% in 2014 from 26% in 2004-05. Once HIV enters a community of injecting drug users, it spreads rapidly through other people. But, are these disturbing numbers controllable? Many IDUs do not use a new sterile syringe for every drug injection, which increases the risks of acquiring and transmitting blood-borne viral infections. They get the syringes from street drug dealers, injection partners, diabetics and hospital dump which are already-used and non-sterile.

So, who should be blamed for these soaring figures? Every one! If the responsibility lies on hospitals and clinics for a safer disposal of used syringes, the doctors and society are also liable for treating patients miserably. Ask yourself, are you spreading awareness, promoting the rights of people living with HIV or making efforts to end prejudices against them? HIV/ AIDS patients have the same basic rights and responsibilities which apply to all citizens. They have the right to liberty, health, non-discrimination, equal protection, freedom of movement, education and participation in public and cultural life. Take the first step! Get yourself tested for HIV and hug an infected patient to stop this discrimination.  

*Name changed to protect identity