HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is the virus that causes AIDS. This virus is passed from one person to another through blood-to-blood and sexual contact. In addition, infected pregnant women can pass HIV to their baby during pregnancy or delivery, as well as through breast-feeding. People with HIV have what is called HIV infection.
Most of these people will develop AIDS as a result of their HIV infection. Following initial infection, you may have no symptoms. The progression of disease varies widely among individuals. This state may last from a few months to more than 10 years. During this period, the virus continues to multiply actively and infects and kills the cells of the immune system. The immune system allows us to fight against the bacteria, viruses, and other infectious causes, The virus destroys the cells that are the primary infection fighters, called CD4+ or T4 cell .Once the immune system weakens, a person infected with HIV can develop symptoms like Lack of energy, Weight loss, Frequent fevers and sweats, Persistent or frequent yeast infections, Persistent skin rashes or flaky skin, Short-term memory loss, Mouth, genital, or anal sores from herpes infections and many different symptoms and initially a person dies, However; We don’t have to go so hard with HIV infected people, eating, walking, talking to them does not harm us, there are fluids which plays a vital role in infecting people from infected person which are blood, semen, vaginal fluid, breast milk and other body fluid containing the blood, however, These are additional body fluids that may transmit the virus that health care workers may come into contact with cerebrospinal fluid surrounding the brain and the spinal cord, synovial fluid surrounding bone joints, amniotic fluid surrounding a fetus.
This deadly virus is everywhere in the world and sadly even Pakistan is in the list too, but Pakistan has a window of opportunity to act decisively to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS. Although the estimated HIV/AIDS burden is still low—around 0.1 percent of the adult population - there has been an outbreak of HIV among injecting drug users in Sindh. Without vigorous and sustained action, Pakistan runs the risk of experiencing the rapid increase in HIV/AIDS among vulnerable groups seen elsewhere.
There are serious risk factors that put Pakistan in danger of facing a rapid spread of the epidemic if immediate and vigorous action is not taken
Outbreaks among Injecting Drug Users, The number of drug dependents in Pakistan is currently estimated to be about 500,000, of whom an estimated 60,000 inject drugs. An outbreak of HIV was discovered among injecting drug users in Larkana, Sindh, where, out of 170 people tested, more than 20 were found HIV positive. In Karachi, a survey of Sexually Transmitted Infections among high risk groups found that more than one in five injection drug users were infected with HIV. These represent the first documented epidemics of HIV in well-defined vulnerable populations in Pakistan. They serve as confirmation of the threat that HIV poses to Pakistan and validate the premise of the country’s recent Enhanced HIV/AIDS Program.
HIV Infection among male homosexuals, Lahore had an estimated 38,000 homosexuals recent years. The male homosexual community is heterogeneous and includes Hijras (biological males who are usually fully castrated) also the transsexuals, Zenanas (transvestites who usually dress as women) and masseurs. Many sell sex and have multiple sexual partners. The STI survey found that 4 percent of male homosexuals in Karachi were infected with HIV, as were 2 percent of the Hijras in the city. Syphillis rates were also high with 38 percent of homosexuals and 60 percent of Hijras in Karachi infected with the disease.
Inadequate Blood transfusion Screening and High Level of Professional Donors, It is estimated that 40 percent of the 1.5 million annual blood transfusions in Pakistan are not screened for HIV. In 1998, the AIDS Surveillance Center in Karachi conducted a study of professional blood donors—people who are typically very poor, often drug users, who give blood for money. The study found that 20 percent were infected with Hepatitis C, 10 percent with Hepatitis B, and 1 percent with HIV. About 20 percent of the blood transfused comes from professional donors.
Commercial sex is prevalent in major cities and on truck routes. Behavioural and mapping studies in three large cities found a commercial sex workers population of 100,000 with limited understanding of safe sexual practices. Furthermore, sex workers often lack the power to negotiate safe sex or seek treatments. Recent findings indicate that although HIV prevalence remains below 1 percent, female sex workers (FSWs) and their clients report low condom use. Less than half the FSWs in Lahore and about a quarter in Karachi had used condoms with their last regular client.
Unsafe Medical Injection Practices are very common in Pakistan; Pakistan has a high rate of medical injections - around 4.5 per capita per year. Studies indicate that 94 percent of injections are administered with used injection equipment. Use of unsterilized needles at medical facilities is also widespread. According to WHO estimates, unsafe injections account for 62 percent of Hepatitis B, 84 percent of Hepatitis C, and 3 percent of new HIV cases.
Vulnerability Due to Social and Economic Disadvantages is at peek, Restrictions on women's and teenage mobility limits access to information and preventive and support services. Young people are vulnerable to influence by peers, unemployment frustrations, and the availability of drugs. In addition, some groups of young men are especially vulnerable due to the sexual services they provide, notably in the transport sector. Both men and women from impoverished households may be forced into the sex industry for income
NATIONAL RESPONSE TO HIV/AIDS
Government. Pakistan’s Federal Ministry of Health initiated a National AIDS Prevention and Control Program (NACP) in 1987. n its early stages, the program was focused on diagnosis of cases that came to hospitals, but progressively began to shift toward a community focus. Its objectives are the prevention of HIV transmission, safe blood transfusions, reduction of STI transmission, establishment of surveillance, training of health staff, research and behavioral studies, and development of program management. The NACP has been included as part of the government's general health program, with support from various external donors.
At least 54 Non-Governmental Organisations are involved in HIV/AIDS public awareness and in the care and support of persons living with HIV/AIDS. These NGOs also work on education and prevention interventions targeting sex workers, truck drivers, and other high-risk groups. NGOs serve as members of the Provincial HIV/AIDS Consortium, which has been set up in all four of Pakistan’s provinces to coordinate HIV/AIDS prevention and control activities. Although NGOs are active in HIV/AIDS prevention activities, it is believed that they are reaching less than 5 percent of the vulnerable population.
Donors played a vital role at this too, UNAIDS has established a Theme Group and a Technical Working Group on HIV/AIDS to coordinate the response of United Nations Agencies and to provide assistance to the government in the strategic development of activities. The theme group includes UNAIDS, WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA, UNDP, UNDCP, UNESCO, ILO, the World Bank, national and provincial program managers, and representatives of nongovernmental organizations.
The unfortunate part is that there is no cure of HIV/AIDs !!! YES! … As this virus is not curable; we must know the prevention to safe the life GOD has blessed us with.
I would like to highlight the major prevention C-list which everybody should know about HIV/AIDS prevention.
1- Abstain from sex. This obviously has limited appeal, but it absolutely protects against HIV transmission by this route.
2- Have sex with a single partner who is uninfected. Mutual monogamy between uninfected partners eliminates the risk of sexual transmission of HIV.
3- Use a condom in other situations. Condoms offer some protection if used properly and consistently. Occasionally, they may break or leak. Only condoms made of latex should be used. Only water-based lubricants should be used with latex condoms.
4- Do not share needles or inject illicit drugs.
5- If you work in a health-care field, follow recommended guidelines for protecting yourself against needle sticks and exposure to contaminated fluids.
6- If you have engaged in risky behaviors, get tested to see if you have HIV.
7- The risk of HIV transmission from a pregnant woman to her baby is significantly reduced if the mother takes medications during pregnancy, labor, and delivery and her baby takes medications for the first six weeks of life. Even shorter courses of treatment are effective, though not as optimal. The key is to get tested for HIV as early as possible in pregnancy. In consultation with their physician, many women opt to avoid breastfeeding to minimize the risk of transmission after the baby is born.
Lets go through the old way of check-list with behavioural changes; Undertake behavioural change communications with the following behavioural objectives
(i) Use of condoms with non-regular sexual partners
(ii) Use of STI treatment services when symptoms are present and knowledge of the link between STIs and HIV
(iii) Use of sterile syringes for all injections
(iv) Reduction in the number of injections received
(v) Voluntary blood donation (particularly among the age group 18 to 30)
(vi) Use of blood for transfusion only if it has been screened for HIV
(vii) Display of tolerant and caring behaviours towards people living with HIV/AIDS and members of vulnerable populations.
And what if a person have already been caught by this unfortunate health error HIV/AIDS ?
Well, in that case, the infected person will be treated with different kind of treatments and medicines like Nucleoside or nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs), Non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIS) are commonly used in combination with NRTIs to help keep the virus from multiplying, Protease inhibitors (PIs); These medications interrupt virus replication at a later step in its life cycle, preventing cells from producing new viruses and a pregnant women who are HIV-positive should seek care immediately because HAART therapy reduces the risk of transmitting the virus to the fetus.
By Ann’ah Askari
