ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) - A task force formed on the direction of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to curb HIV cases has proposed screening of deported passengers at airports.
According to the Ministry of Health spokesperson, the prime minister took notice of reported HIV cases and constituted a high-level task force, whose second meeting was chaired by Minister of State for Health Dr Mukhtar Bharath.
The meeting was attended by task force members and representatives of relevant institutions, including former Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health Dr Zafar Mirza, retired Major General Azhar Mahmood Kayani, and officials from the Ministry of Interior.
Other participants included health experts such as Dr Saira Afzal, Dr Shahzad Ali Khan and infectious disease specialist Dr Sabeeha Qazi, while provincial health secretaries joined via video link.
Officials from the National Institute of Health Pakistan, Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan, provincial health departments and the UNAIDS Common Management Unit also attended.
Dr Mukhtar Bharath said the task force aims to investigate the issue, identify those responsible and formulate recommendations to prevent future incidents, including probing the reuse of contaminated syringes.
The task force proposed activating a real-time data dashboard through NIH, CDC and CMU systems to monitor HIV cases, analyse trends and strengthen coordination mechanisms.
It was also agreed to draft a National Public Health Law to prevent the spread of HIV in the country, particularly addressing transmission linked to unsafe medical practices.