Health Minister Mustafa Kamal has announced that a ban has been imposed on five types of syringes in response to a rise in HIV/AIDS cases reported across Pakistan.
Speaking during a National Assembly session, he stated that reports of rising AIDS cases have emerged from Taunsa and Islamabad.
The Health Minister said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has formed a special committee to prevent the spread of the disease.
Explaining the reasons behind the increase in cases, he said that the use of reused syringes has contributed to the rise in HIV/AIDS infections.
According to Mustafa Kamal, a total of 366,000 people in the country are living with HIV/AIDS. He added that HIV/AIDS is not an incurable disease.
He further stated that the government is working with the provinces to control the disease and has banned the use of five types of syringes. It is worth mentioning here that last month, the Ministry of National Health issued a clarification regarding media reports about AIDS cases in Islamabad, denying claims of a dangerous increase.
According to the Ministry of Health, there is no evidence of an AIDS epidemic in Islamabad. The number of monthly HIV cases in the capital remains normal, and fluctuations in case numbers are within the usual range.
The ministry added that awareness about HIV/AIDS is increasing among citizens, leading to more testing. As screening increases, more cases are being detected; therefore, the rise in reported HIV/AIDS cases does not necessarily indicate an epidemic situation.
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