I live my rights, I respect other people's rightsThe HIV epidemic is well established in Pakistan. It is defined as a concentrated epidemic meaning that the prevalence in traditional risk groups exceeds 5%.
In 2009, UNAIDS Pakistan and the national AIDS control programme estimated that there were around 98 000 (79 000–120 000) HIV cases in Pakistan, with an overall general population prevalence of less then 0.05%.
However, the epidemic is expanding among injecting drug users, with an estimated prevalence of 20%, and their sexual contacts, including male and transgender hijra sex workers, with rates of 2%–3% and 4%, respectively.
National surveillance data shows rates of infection in most major cities ranging from 15% to 50% among the country's estimated 150 000 injecting drug users.
Like many developing countries, Pakistan faces elavated risk of HIV transmission as a result of poverty, low literacy, gender-related discrimination, ignorance about modes of transmission and the stigma that prohibits people with risk behaviours from seeking HIV testing or disclosing their HIV positive status.
WHO support
WHO support since the start of the programme in the early 1990s has included:
enhancing capacity of national and provincial HIV/AIDS programmes through provision of national-level staff and in support of provincial programme activities
supporting development of national HIV/AIDS policy
strengthening HIV/AIDS treatment and monitoring, prevention of HIV transmission in health care settings and blood safety, HIV testing and counselling, and sexually transmitted infection diagnosis and treatment
supporting the national HIV/AIDS programme in proposal development for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria leading to Pakistan securing nearly USD 100 million
supporting national and provincial programmes during the recent 2010 floods to provide life saving antiretroviral treatment and food and shelter to people living with HIV and their families.
Programme Achievements
- Regular yearly rounds of Integrated Biological and Behavioral surveys are carried out in High Risk Groups.
- Functioning provincial AIDS control program with capacity to deliver and monitor program activities
- Service delivery contracts are being given to a network of NGOs providing crucial harm reduction services to Injecting Drug Users, Female Sex Workers, Transgender Sex Workers, Long Distance Truck drivers
- Establishment of 16 HIV treatment centers all over the country with functioning 07 PMTCT centers where more than 2000 HIV positives are getting Anti Retroviral treatment.
- Winning of 02 GFATM rounds to supplement the national efforts and succeeded in getting more than 100 million USD
- Free provision of all ARVs in HIV treatment centers
- Free provision of baseline tests and Viral Load and CD4 tests to all HIV positives.
Related links
Technical support for health system strengthening to support AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria control in Pakistan
27 January 2015
Regional AIDS and sexually transmitted disease programme
