ISLAMABAD: South Korea will extend humanitarian assistance worth $100,000 in cash to help control the outbreak of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) in Pakistan’s southern Sindh province, the World Health Organization, which will channel the funds to the South Asian nation, said on Friday.
Spread mainly in the Larkana district of Sindh, HIV had infected 935 people in total as of July 13, including 760 children under the age of 15.
WHO Representative in Pakistan, Dr. Palitha Mahipala, met South Korean Ambassador Kwak Sung-kyu in Islamabad earlier this month, and sought his support to deal with the HIV outbreak. Korean authorities in Seoul responded positively and said they would help the WHO fight the spread of the virus.
According to a media statement, WHO will continue to face a huge funding gap despite South Korea’s commitment since its project requires $4.5 million for the next two years to deal with the epidemic.
“I expect that other governments and international NGOs will join South Korea in supporting WHO’s efforts in responding to the HIV outbreak in Pakistan,” Ambassador Kwak was reported to have said.
“WHO highly appreciates the valuable support made by the government of the Republic of Korea enabling WHO to scale up its response to the HIV affected population in Larkana district,” Palitha said during her meeting with the South Korean ambassador.
The spread of HIV in Ratodero, on the outskirts of Larkana, was first detected by medical practitioners in April this year. Since then, health authorities have screened thousands of people to determine the scale of the problem.
In rural Sindh — long bridled by harsh poverty and illiteracy — access to information about HIV and other diseases has kept the large swathes of the population in the dark about how the virus is transmitted. Healthcare facilities in the province are meagre and negligence by inadequately-qualified doctors is common.
At the heart of the current crisis is one paediatrician, Dr. Muzaffar Ghangharo, who used contaminated syringes while treating his patients in Ratodero, police officials have said. Dr. Muzaffar Ghanghro was arrested on April 30 and has been charged with unintentional murder.
Senior Sindh police officer Sartaj Jagirani told Arab News last month that 123 infected children, whose family members had recorded their statements with police, had been treated by Ghangharo.
South Korea becomes first country to support WHO fight HIV outbreak in Sindh
South Korea becomes first country to support WHO fight HIV outbreak in Sindh
- Despite Seoul’s decision to contribute $100,000, UN health agency continues to face a significant funding gap
- Around 935 people, including 760 children, have been reported infected by the virus since April
Saudi charity KSrelief distributes 4,000 winter kits in northwest Pakistan
- The charity will distribute around 800 kits each in five districts, containing two quilts and winter clothing
- The program is part of a broader winterization initiative to help communities affected by harsh weather
ISLAMABAD: Saudi Arabia’s King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) on Friday said it had started distributing 4,000 winter kits in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province to help communities affected by harsh weather.
The program is part of KSrelief’s larger winterization initiative that was launched at the Saudi embassy in Islamabad earlier in January. Under the broader initiative, 22,000 winter kits will be distributed among more than 154,000 Pakistanis across the country.
Each winter kit includes two polyester quilts, warm shawls and winter clothing. Around 800 kits will be distributed in each of the Chitral, Upper Dir, Upper Kohistan, Mansehra and Kurram districts.
"The initiative targets communities severely impacted by harsh winter conditions in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, as well as selected areas of Punjab and Sindh experiencing extremely low temperatures," KSrelief said in a statement.
The project is being carried out in close collaboration with the National Disaster Management Authority, provincial disaster management authorities, the Relief, Rehabilitation and Settlement Department Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the Hayat Foundation.
The statement said the initiative reaffirms KSrelief's continued commitment to alleviating winter-related hardships and improving the living conditions of vulnerable populations across Pakistan.
The Saudi charity has launched numerous projects across Pakistan in food security, health, education and disaster response in recent years, deepening the bonds of friendship and brotherhood between the two countries.
