2628 registered AIDS/HIV patients in Pakistan.

ISLAMABAD, November 11, 2009 (Balochistan Times ): Minister for Health Mir Aijaz Hussain Jakhrani told the Lower House of the Parliament Wednesday that total number of AIDS and HIV registered patients in Pakistan till September 30,2009 were 2628. Replying to a question by Tasneem Siddiqui he said that there was a mechanism in the country to evaluate the efficiency of the AIDS programme .Replying to a question by Shireen Arshad, MNA Aijaz Jakhrani said that there is no vaccine available for AIDS, therefore the National AIDS Control Programme (NACP) has not purchased any vaccine for AIDS to date. Responding to a question by Qudsia Arshad, MNA he said that no funds were released to the provinces by NACP during 2008-09.To a question by Mian Marghoob Ahmed,he said that no NGOs are involved in diagnosing and treatment of AIDS in Pakistan. While responding to a question by Shaheen Ishfaq, he said that the National Blood Transfusion Services Project is being launched with support of German government which has committed 17.million euros for this purpose. He also told the House that the provincial and AJK PC-1s have been approved by their respective Provincial Development Working Parties. He said that all these PC-1s along with the federal governments PC-1 will be submitted for final approval from Central Development Working Party (CDWP). He said that the project would be launched in 13 cities of the country in the first phase.

(THROUGH ASIA PULSE)