SAPM | Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Former special assistant to the prime minister (SAPM) on health Dr Zafar Mirza on Saturday voiced alarm at the rising number of HIV cases in Pakistan, warning that the situation was becoming increasingly alarming. Addressing a press conference at the National Press Club, he referred to the emergence of HIV cases in Taunsa uncovered by the BBC, saying that the reuse of contaminated syringes and inadequate screening of blood before transfusions were major contributors to the spread of the disease. He also demanded that the report prepared by the Punjab government’s commission on the matter be made public and demanded an audit of global health funding received by Pakistan. Dr Rana Jawad, Dr Qaid Saeed, Asghar Satti, and an HIV-positive patient were also present alongside Zafar during the press conference. Zafar said that Pakistan, along with countries like India and China, had one of the highest numbers of HIV cases in Asia. The ex-SAPM noted approximately 70 per cent of blood transfusions in the coun...