Over 500 test positive for HIV in Pakistani village

A mass HIV detectionprogramme in a village in Pakistan has resulted in more than 400 children and100 adults diagnosed with the virus following widespread social alarm thatbroke out after a doctor was reported for negligence, authorities said onFriday.

“In Ratoderovillage, 15,200 people have been screened so far, out of whom 434 children and103 adults tested positive for HIV” since the campaign kicked off on April25, Efe news quoted Sikandar Memon, head of the AIDS control programme in Sindhprovince, where the village is located, as saying.

   

He said “thereis a 60 per cent chance that it spread due to reuse of syringes”.

“This has become a serious issue as it’s not a smallnumber (of children infected) and looks like it spread only because of negligence,”said Memon. “Those involved should be strictly punished.” 

A local doctor who was also infected with HIV was arrested onApril 27 in connection with the outbreak after residents complained, policesaid. The doctor has defended his innocence.

An investigation is underway.

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