Shah S A, Altaf A.
Prevention and control of HIV/AIDS among injection drug users in Pakistan: a great challenge.
J Pak Med Assoc Jan ;54(6):290-1.

According to the national survey on drug abuse in 1993 there were about three million drug users in the country representing 2.3% of the total population of Pakistan. With estimated annual growth rate of 6.4%, total number of drug abusers in the country in 2004 could be estimated to almost five million. The 1993 study also estimated that 51% drug abusers were taking this narcotic product, the most common drug abused in the country and 93% heroin abusers were believed to take heroin either by filling in cigarettes or by inhalation. At that time only 1.8% heroin addicts (mainly in Karachi) administered heroin in the form of injections. However, according to the results of National Assessment Study on Drug Abuse Situation in Pakistan, conducted in year 2000 it was estimated that about 60,000 drug addicts were using drugs through injections. Studies conducted in 2002 with drug addicts at two different localities of Karachi suggest 80-100% addicts are using heroin via injections. The first reported outbreak of HIV infection in Pakistan happened in Larkana, a small town of Sindh province. Nineteen injection drug users (IDUs) were positive for HIV infection. Continued surveillance by the Provincial AIDS Control Program suggest that this number has increased to 45 (up to February 2004). Soon after the Larkana outbreak, HIV surveillance in other cities of Sindh, Karachi, Hyderabad and Sukkur showed very low prevalence of HIV. However, from January 2004 to 30th April 2004 about 65 IDUs have been tested HIV positive out of a total of 930. This is an Editorial.

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