Pakistan's Federal Ministry of Health established National AIDS Control Programme (NACP) in 1986-87. In its early stages, the programme focused on laboratory diagnosis of suspected HIV cases, but progressively it began to shift its focus towards HIV prevention and control interventions. The development of National Strategic Framework-one in 2001 provided strategic vision to the national response and government of Pakistan with support from World Bank launched an enhanced response in the form of Enhanced HIV and AIDS Control Programme (EHACP).
Pakistan is a signatory to the MDGs; Goal 6 of which states that Pakistan will "Halt and begin to reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS" by the year 2015.The primary objective of this programme is to seek such a halt and reversal. To contextualize the project seeks to contain the epidemic among the most at risk group where it has established and prevent it from establishing among the bridge groups and the general population.
Presently NACP and its provincial counterparts (Provincial AIDS Control Programs in Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan, NWFP and AJK) are implementing the interventions throughout the country.
Following are the major components of the enhanced programme:
Component 1: HIV Prevention and Treatment
• Targeted Interventions for MARPs
• National Truckers Project
• Small Grant projects
• HIV Care and Support
• Blood Safety
• STI Control
• PPTCT
Component 2: Advocacy and Communication
• Advocacy
• Communication and Stigma Reduction
Component 3: Governance and Institutional Framework
• Governance
• Capacity Building
• National & Provincial Reference Laboratories
• Programme Management
• Monitoring and Evaluation
Key measures undertaken under Enhanced Program to halt the HIV epidemic
The EHACP is under implementation since 2003. A number of achievements have been made since its inception. A few of those salient achievements include:
Substantial expansion in the number and scope of HIV prevention interventions for high-risk groups and vulnerable populations through public sector financing;
Strengthened role of public-private partnerships in service delivery i.e. partnership with over 400 NGOs under the umbrella of national and provincial AIDS consortia;
Inclusion of condom promotion as an integral component of service delivery packages for high-risk and vulnerable populations;
An extensive mass media campaign to raise awareness among general adult population about the methods of HIV transmission and its prevention;
Advocacy and communication efforts with political leaders, youth, and some faith-based organizations to raise the level of concern and awareness among these strata;
Active involvement of other ministries and departments like Ministry of Education, Ministry of Narcotics, Ministry of Religious Affairs and others in HIV prevention and control response;
Development and implementation of protocols and operational guidelines in a number of areas like VCCT guidelines, guidelines for laboratory diagnosis of HIV and AIDS, infection control guidelines, and guidelines for syndromic management of STIs and others;
Development and promulgation of National Blood Transfusion Safety Ordinance to prevent HIV spread through transfusion of blood and blood products;
Establishment of twelve Antiretroviral (ARV) treatment and care centers in public and private sector hospitals to provide treatment to AIDS patients; ARVs are being provided free of cost to all the AIDS patients;
A number of research studies to understand biological and behavioral trends of STIs and HIV among high-risk and bridge populations;
HIV and AIDS Second Generation Surveillance (SGS) System in place since 2004 and four annual rounds of Integrated Behavioral and Biological Surveillance conducted;
Development and implementation of National Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Framework to feed into policy and programme planning;
Establishment of National Network of PLHIV and preparation of legislation dealing with human rights;
Formulation of National HIV and AIDS Policy and Legislative Framework, the work on which is still under progress; and
Establishment of a National Referral Laboratory with provision of conducting HIV molecular epidemiology;
AIDS FACT SHEET 2008
Global Summary of the AIDS epidemic
Number of people living with HIV in December 2008
Total
33.4 million [31.1–35.8 million]
Adults
31.3 million [29.2–33.7 million]
Women
15.7 million [14.2–17.2 million]
Children < 15
2.1 million [1.2–2.9 million]
People newly infected with HIV in December 2008
Total
2.7 million [2.4–3.0 million]
Adults
2.3 million [2.0–2.5 million]
Children < 15
430 000 [240 000–610 000]
AIDS deaths in 2008
Total
2.0 million [1.7–2.4 million]
Adults
1.7 million [1.4–2.1 million]
Children < 15
280 000 [150 000–410 000]
HIV/AIDS in PAKISTAN
Estimated Number of HIV/AIDS cases in Pakistan: 97,400 Prevalence of HIV among General public: less than 1% Prevalence of HIV among High risk groups in Pakistan: Injecting Drug users: 21%
Male Sex Workers: 0.9%
Hijra Sex Workers: 6.4%
Female Sex Workers: <0.01%
