Pakistan committed to fight AIDS: Premier
By Adnan Rafique

ISLAMABAD—Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz Monday said Pakistan is committed to fighting the menace of AIDS and taking preventive and curative steps besides using media to create awareness among the general public to eradicate this disease.
Talking to JVR Parsada Rao, Director UNAIDS here, he emphasized the need for public-private partnership basis projects to eradicate AIDS.
He said the government is providing all resources to nip this evil in the bud and working with multilateral organizations, NGOs WHO and donor agencies to control this disease.
The Prime Minister said Ministry of Health has been asked to interact with other related Ministries to chalk out a comprehensive programme to create awareness in the public about various aspects of AIDS.
Shaukat Aziz said information on this disease should be included in the curricula at various stages of education and training should be given at the right age and level for which civil society organizations and donors need to play an important role.
The Prime Minister emphasized the need to engage various high risk groups and keep a check on the use of drugs and on the use of syringes.
He said the government has banned the use of glass syringes and reuse of syringes is not allowed as that was the major source of this disease.
The Prime Minister said the government has launched an awareness campaign using print and electronic media to raise the level of awareness. He said there is a need to break psychological barriers and overcome taboos to control the disease effectively.
He said the government is looking at the experiences of other countries and the best practices will be adopted.
JVR Parsada Rao appreciated the commitment of the government to eradicate AIDS. He said the Pakistan government is providing full support to eradicate AIDS and highly appreciated Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz for personally leading the campaign against AIDS.
The meeting was attended among by Federal Minister for Health Muhammad Nasir Khan, Minister of State for Health Begum Shahzad Sheikh and senior officials.