Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal has revealed that night parties and club culture in major cities are also becoming a significant cause of the spread of HIV/AIDS.
Speaking at a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on National Health, Mustafa Kamal said that contaminated syringes are no longer the only issue, as other causes of HIV transmission are also emerging. He stated that drugs, including ice, are used at night parties and that unsafe sexual activities also take place. He added that the Ministry of Health cannot go and stop parties itself, and that all relevant institutions must play their role in addressing the issue.
The Federal Health Minister said that 35 to 40 new HIV cases are being reported daily from Islamabad, which is an extremely alarming situation. He noted that a large number of those affected are young boys and girls, while many young people are not even aware of the risks.
He further stated that a meeting on the matter was recently held under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister, during which all relevant institutions were called, and a detailed report on HIV was presented to the Prime Minister.
Referring to the Walika Hospital case in Karachi, he said that it was an incident that occurred one and a half years ago and that HIV had spread there through contaminated syringes. However, he added that the causes behind the cases now emerging are different.
