Pakistan needs to speed up its human immunodeficiency virus control strategy to achieve targets in fast-track acquired immune deficiency syndrome response

• Published in: World journal of virology Vol. 6; no. 2; pp. 46 - 48
• Main Authors: Waheed, Yasir, Waheed, Hasnain
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Baishideng Publishing Group Inc 12.05.2017
• Subjects: Letters To The Editor; People who inject drugs; Human immunodeficiency virus; Fast-track; Antiretroviral therapy
• DOI: 10.5501/wjv.v6.i2.46
• ISSN: 2220-3249

In last fifteen years remarkable success in the fight against human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is achieved globally. The number of HIV infections has decreased and the number of people on antiretroviral therapy is increased. This all is possible by strong political commitments and heavy investments in the fight against HIV. Pakistan is among few Asian countries in which HIV cases are increasing year by year since 1990. There are 94000 cases of HIV in Pakistan and only 14000 are registered with government. The main source of HIV infection in Pakistan is the use of contaminated injection equipment among people who inject drugs (PWID). The overall prevalence of HIV among PWID in Pakistan is 27.2%. There are five cities in Pakistan in which HIV prevalence is above 40% in PWIDs. In June 2016, United Nations political declaration on acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) provided a global mandate to fast-track the AIDS response over the next five years to achieve the targets in Sustainable Development Goals. To achieve the targets in fast-track AIDS response, the global leaders showed strong commitments to invest $ 26 billion per year by 2020. Pakistan needs to speed up its HIV control program. There is a dire need to locate all HIV positive people and enroll them in the treatment program. Pakistan also needs to calculate exact number of people living with HIV, increase HIV treatment centers and increase HIV awareness. Recently, Global Fund invested handsome money in the fight against HIV. Let's hope the country will have effective HIV control strategy to achieve the HIV elimination target by 2030.