83 HIV-infected Rohingyas found in Cox’s Bazar: Nasim

Health Minister Mohammad Nasim today said a total of 83 HIV-infected Rohingya patients were traced in Cox's Bazar till August 25 last.

"Of them, 29 males, 41 females, boy children seven and girl children six," he said in reply to a starred question raised by treasury bench member Habibur Rahman Mollah (Dhaka-5), reports BSS.

The minister said there is nothing to be worried about the issue as the AIDS/STD Programme of the Directorate of Health Services under the Ministry of Health has ensured all medicare arrangements including HIV identification and the government has taken timely steps in this regard.

Under the programme, he said, various steps have been undertaken to prevent communicable and non-communicable diseases like HIV/AIDS & STD among the Rohingya people staying at different places of Ukhiya and Teknaf upazilas in Cox's Bazar district.

The measures, he said, include providing free HIV screening and counselling services at Ukhiya, Teknaf and Cox's Bazar hospitals and giving adequate kits for diagnosing HIV.

"Besides, necessary training was given to the service providers (MT lab, nurses and medical officers), while antiretroviral (ARV) drug is being provided to the HIV-infected patients," Nasim said.

He also informed that the HIV/STD Programme has adopted a one-year work plan for providing services to HIV/AIDS-infected patients with the coordination of other programmes as well as local and international organizations.

Responding to another starred query of Nurjahan Begum (reserved seat-42), the health minister told the House that kidney dialysis services will be launched at all district hospitals of the country.

In its continuation, he said, kidney dialysis unit will be introduced at Chandpur General Hospital.

Nasim further said the country's all medical college hospitals have been providing specialised modern treatment services including kidney dialysis and neurosurgery.