Islamabad: Amid concerns that some provinces were not sharing HIV and other infectious disease related data with the federal authorities, members of a high level national taskforce on HIV mishandling on Wednesday proposed creation of a real time national dashboard on the pattern of the Covid-19 surveillance system to ensure daily reporting and monitoring of cases across the country.
The chair and members of the taskforce also called for reducing Pakistan’s reliance on international donors and increasing domestic resource allocation for the prevention, treatment and control of HIV in the country.
The proposal came during the maiden meeting of the taskforce constituted by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to probe the reported mishandling of HIV cases and reuse of contaminated syringes in the country.
The meeting was chaired by Minister of State for National Health Services Dr Malik Mukhtar Ahmad Bharath and attended by taskforce members including former SAPM on Health Dr Zafar Mirza, former AFIC commander Maj Gen (retd) Azhar Mahmood Kayani, Special Secretary Interior Dawood Muhammad Bareach, Additional Secretary Health Laiq Ahmed, DRAP Chief Executive Officer Dr Obaidullah, Dean Institute of Public Health Lahore Dr Saira Afzal and infectious diseases expert Dr Sobia Qazi.
Provincial health secretaries joined the meeting through video link while senior officials from the National Institute of Health (NIH), Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP), provincial health departments and the Common Management Unit (CMU) for HIV, TB and Malaria also attended the session.
Officials familiar with the deliberations described the first meeting as a positive and productive beginning, saying almost all key issues related to HIV prevention, disease surveillance, governance, syringe regulation and institutional weaknesses in Pakistan’s infectious disease response system were discussed openly.
During the meeting, former SAPM on Health Dr Zafar Mirza recommended establishment of a national real time dashboard for HIV and other infectious diseases where provinces would share daily data with federal authorities in a coordinated manner similar to the Covid-19 pandemic surveillance system.
The NIH was asked to prepare a detailed presentation for the next meeting on creation of a nationwide integrated disease surveillance and analytics mechanism.
NIH officials informed the participants that the institute was not receiving HIV and other infectious disease related data from Punjab despite being the country’s premier public health surveillance and outbreak investigation body.
Participants observed that lack of timely data sharing was weakening national surveillance efforts and affecting the country’s ability to respond effectively to outbreaks and public health emergencies.
The role of the NIH in outbreak investigations also came under detailed discussion, with the taskforce directing the institute to adopt a far more proactive approach in responding to infectious disease outbreaks including HIV, Mpox and other emerging public health threats.
Participants maintained that as the country’s focal public health institution, the NIH had the mandate and responsibility to immediately dispatch teams to outbreak affected areas, conduct investigations, undertake field surveillance and assist provincial authorities in containing diseases posing risks to national health security.
The meeting was also briefed on recent directives issued by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif regarding disposable syringes and infection prevention measures in the country.
DRAP officials informed the taskforce that work had been initiated to make 10cc syringes auto destructable in order to prevent their reuse while reusable 10cc syringes would be banned.
Participants were told that DRAP would present a comprehensive plan in the next meeting on strengthening existing syringe regulations and introducing additional regulatory measures for 1cc and 10cc syringes.
DRAP Chief Executive Officer Dr Obaidullah informed the meeting that instructions had already been issued for collection of 100 percent market samples of syringes to ensure compliance with the nationwide ban on reusable 2ml, 3ml and 5ml syringes and verify whether manufacturers were adhering to approved auto disable standards.
The issue of non-technical persons heading the Common Management Unit (CMU) for HIV, TB and Malaria also came under criticism during the meeting. Several taskforce members questioned how a unit established to prevent and control highly complex infectious diseases could effectively perform its responsibilities if it was headed by bureaucrats instead of technical public health experts.
Participants stressed that technical leadership, institutional reforms, governance improvements, financial ownership and proper data management systems were essential for ensuring an effective and sustainable response to HIV and other infectious diseases in Pakistan.
The taskforce was told that technical interventions alone would not succeed unless broader governance and institutional challenges were addressed simultaneously. Participants agreed that the forum should be used candidly to identify weaknesses in the existing health response system and recommend long term reforms.
The meeting was further informed that experts including a pediatric infectious diseases specialist and a haematologist would also be involved to advise the taskforce on HIV infections among children, blood screening and transfusion safety issues.
Officials described the first session as a positive beginning aimed at gathering perspectives from all stakeholders and building consensus on reforms needed to strengthen Pakistan’s response to HIV, TB, Mpox and other infectious diseases. The next meeting of the taskforce is scheduled to be held on Friday.
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