Sindh AIDS Control Program (SACP); Fails To Establish HIV Treatment Centers in Karachi

KARACHI- Sindh AIDS Control Program (SACP) failed to establish 3 more HIV Treatment Centers in Karachi, to facilitate citizens and also to reduce burden on the previously existing centers.

The plan to setup HIV Treatment Centers in Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, Sindh Government Lyari General Hospital and Abbasi Shaheed Hospital could not be materialized due to non-cooperation of Heads of these major hospitals.

Sources at SACP mentioned that, although Program Administration has acquired sites from Heads and Medical Superintendents of these health facilities but, SACP management has not been provided with any nurses and lab staff to make those HIV Treatment Centers functional in these major hospitals of the city.

The SACP has already installed necessary equipment at the expected sites of HIV/AIDS Treatment Centers of Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) and Sindh Government Lyari General Hospital but, poor coordination and unavailability of staff  delayed the functioning of these centers. Meanwhile, the administration of Abbasi Shaheed Hospital is reluctant to establish HIV Treatment Centre in their health facility due to unknown reasons.

Program Manager,  Sindh AIDS Control Program (SACP),  Dr. Muhammad Younis Chachar, stated that the Heads of the hospitals are not cooperating with the Program Management, in regards to the HIV/AIDS Treatment Centers.

He mentioned that, only Sukkur HIV/AIDS Treatment Centre is ready for a formal opening and doctors are being trained to make the new center operational, while sites have been obtained to establish HIV/AIDS Centers in Hyderabad and Shaheed Benazirabad Districts. He further informed that  Mirpurkhas Hospital Administration is also not coordinating with SACP.

When contacted, Senior Director Medical & Health Services, Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC),  Dr. Birbal Genani, stated that, KMC is ready to cooperate with Sindh AIDS Control Program Management to establish HIV Treatment Centre at Abbasi Shaheed Hospital.

The HIV Treatment Centers are already operating in Civil Hospital Karachi, Indus Hospital Karachi, Aga Khan Hospital and two in Larkana District, under the supervision of SACP to control the prevalence of HIV/AIDS disease in the province of Sindh.