Perveen Seelro's life has been turned upside down. Seelro and her three year old daughter were recently diagnosed as HIV positive, after her husband Tariq Ali Seelro was diagnosed with the same disease in June last year. Their predicament leaves her dejected and speechless most of the time, and she can't stop the tears as she explains her plight.
“My husband was earlier diagnosed with HIV and then my blood screening was also carried out in which I was also diagnosed with the same disease. I breast fed my child and she was also infected. My child’s treatment is being done from Karachi where we go after every three months whereas my husband’s and my treatment is carried out in Larkana.”Perveen Seelro, HIV positive patient
In Pakistan’s Ratodero, a devastating HIV outbreak was discovered last month. Alarm has spread among the residents, health workers and the government as the numbers of HIV positive cases increase with every passing day.
“I got my blood screened from Larkana where it was revealed that I am HIV/AIDS positive. My treatment started then. Before that I had become very weak and I couldn’t even stand on my feet. My wife and I get treatment regularly along with other children in the house.”Tariq Ali Seelro, HIV positive patient
This HIV outbreak is being blamed by experts on a local doctor who reused contaminated syringes, while authorities have claimed the situation in Larkana started when a local paediatrician, who is HIV positive, infected patients.
“The outbreak investigation will be done by Sindh AIDS Control Program along with probably Aga Khan University and the results will come but as per the experts’ opinion, the reason seems to be contaminated syringes.”Dr Sunil Kumar Dodani, Assistant Professor of Infectious Diseases at the Sindh Institute of Urology & Transplantation
According to Sindh's AIDS Control Program, children are bearing the brunt of this outbreak – 463 of the total HIV/AIDS positive cases are children under 5 years, compared with 109 adults.
The population of Ratodero and its surrounding area is around 330,000.
Currently more than 17,000 people, including children, have been voluntarily screened.
“More than one lakh (1,00,000) people are affected in Pakistan. Out of them, around 24,000 - 25,000 are diagnosed and around 15,000 of them are on treatment. This means we have around 75,000 - 80,000 people which we are unable to diagnose. They are in general population and they are spreading this source (of HIV)... Health officials have pledged the screening will continue as long as people continue to come here.”Dr Sunil Kumar Dodani, Assistant Professor of Infectious Diseases at the Sindh Institute of Urology & Transplantation
(With inputs from AP)
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