LAHORE, Dec 01 (APP):Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid on Wednesday said that the Punjab government set up 36 HIV/Aids centers in all districts of the province.
Speaking as chief guest at the World AIDS Day ceremony organized by the Punjab AIDS Control Programme, the health minister said that at these centers, free counselling, diagnosis and treatment facilities would be provided, adding that so far more than 1.85 million people had been screened for HIV/AIDS.
Dr Yasmin Rashid pledged to achieve HIV/AIDS elimination goals and said that efforts from all stakeholders shall help Punjab stop transmission of new cases. She said that awareness regarding disease was key to the prevention of HIV/AIDS, adding that the spread of disease could be controlled through preventive measures.
She said that the role of civil society and NGOs was also very important for the control of HIV/AIDS.
She said that more than 13,000 patients were getting HIV/AIDS treatment from centers, adding that more than 460,000 TB patients had been screened for HIV/AIDS and over 50,000 bus and truck drivers had been screened through mobile centers and more than 120,000 prisoners were screened as well.
Director General Health Services Punjab Dr Haroon Jehangir Khan, Additional Secretary SH&ME Dr Salman Shahid, UNICEF Health Specialist Dr Tahir Manzoor, Walled City Authority officials, Social Workers, NGOs, transgenders and others were present in the ceremony.
