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Published on June 13, 2021 8:47 p.m.
Pakistan to continue vigorous efforts to fight HIV / AIDS: Dr Faisal
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Special Assistant to the Prime Minister for National Health Services, Regulation and Coordination, Dr Faisal Sultan said Pakistan will continue to make vigorous efforts to combat HIV / AIDS and already made significant progress in this regard.
In a video statement at the 2021 high-level meeting on HIV / AIDS in New York City, Dr Faisal said the COVID-19 pandemic posed a significant challenge to these efforts and that the government was aware that any delay in providing testing and treatment services would put many vulnerable populations at greater risk.
He said the Pakistani government had taken swift action to change our strategy, including staffing and smart awareness, providing PPE to all field staff and distributing ARV treatments over several months.
“As a result, we have been able to ensure uninterrupted service delivery during this unprecedented time, and we aim to continue to adhere to these revised protocols in close coordination with all partners, communities and relevant stakeholders. “
He said that in accordance with SDG 3, Pakistan has also launched a universal health coverage program for the whole population, which includes HIV / AIDS as part of interventions at community and primary health care level. .
He added that the interventions covered by this package include HIV / AIDS testing, counseling and referral to antiretroviral therapy, provision of prophylactics and syringes to high-risk groups as well as health education.
“We believe that universal health coverage is crucial to guarantee the right to health for all without any discrimination. “
He said: “The high-level meeting provides us with an opportunity to renew our unwavering determination to tackle the HIV / AIDS epidemic by 2030, in line with Sustainable Development Goal 3, ‘Health and well. -being for all ”.
He said that to achieve tangible results, it is crucial that the international community take stock of the progress made in the commitment to end the HIV / AIDS epidemic by 2030, assess the setbacks encountered due to of the COVID-19 pandemic in this fight, learn from each other’s experiences regarding the adaptation of strategies and best practices in the light of the pandemic and reiterate our political commitment in favor of the eradication of HIV / AIDS in the world.
He stated that SDG goal 3, “Health and well-being for all” and its sub-goals 3.3, relating to the fight against communicable diseases, and 3.8, relating to the achievement of universal health coverage, respectively remain a high priority on our agenda.
He said the damaging impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on economies, societies and the entire population of the world has reminded the international community to rise above narrow opportunisms to prevent and combat the HIV / AIDS epidemic in all regions of the world without any discrimination. and bias.
He said HIV / AIDS is a cross-cutting development challenge and millions of people around the world cannot continue to be denied their right to development. Pakistan welcomes the renewed emphasis on combating HIV / AIDS in the 2021 Political Declaration, he added.
He said it is imperative to accelerate efforts to end the HIV / AIDS epidemic by 2030, through HIV / AIDS prevention, care, support and treatment, provision of sexual and reproductive health services, community engagement, awareness and treatment of stigma and discrimination.
He said the international community needs a global health compact, where no one is denied their right to health and where everyone has universal health coverage.
Ending the HIV / AIDS epidemic by 2030 should be one of the priority areas of this global compact that would translate our commitments into tangible actions and results, he added.
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