Islamabad (Health Desk)Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal has said that in view of the rising risk of HIV in the country, it has been decided that HIV screening will be made mandatory before any surgical procedure in the future.
A meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on National Health was held under the chairmanship of MNA Mahesh Kumar Malani, where health ministry officials gave a detailed briefing on HIV cases.
During the meeting, the Health Minister requested an in-camera briefing, which was opposed by committee members.
The briefing revealed that the number of registered HIV cases in the country has increased to 84,000, out of which 61,000 patients are under treatment, while more than 16,000 patients are no longer in contact with treatment services.
Officials said one of the major reasons for the increase in cases is also the improvement in testing and screening systems. In 2020, 38,000 people were tested at 49 centers, while by 2025 this number increased to over 300,000 people screened at 97 centers, with more than 14,000 positive cases detected.
Committee members expressed concern that a major cause of HIV spread is the reuse of syringes in medical procedures.
The Health Minister further informed that in a meeting with the Prime Minister, it was also decided that the reuse of all types of syringes, including 10cc syringes, will be completely banned. In addition, HIV testing will be made mandatory before every surgery to help prevent the spread of the disease.
He also said that the Global Fund is providing $65 million in aid to Pakistan, but most of it is being allocated to NGOs, while the Ministry of Health has received limited funding.
The committee has recommended that detailed briefings from all relevant institutions be called in the next meeting.