One-Third of Needle Drug Users in Karachi (Pakistan) Have HIV

From the Daily Times (Pakistan) - August 1, 2008

One-third of needle drug users in Karachi have HIV: experts

Daily Times Monitor

KARACHI: HIV among needle users has risen to 31 percent among the risk group from the first outbreak in 2003, experts have pointed out in an article, 'Men who have sex with men: New emerging threat of HIV/AIDS…' that appeared in the August 2008 issue of the Journal of Pakistan Medical Association. The article was authored by Arshad Altaf, Sohail Abbas, Hasan Abbas Zaheer of the Canada-Pakistan HIV/AIDS Surveillance Project of Canadian International Development Agency Karachi & Islamabad and the National AIDS Control Programme.

Pakistan has progressed from low to a concentrated level of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemic primarily because of consistently high prevalence of infection among injection drug users (IDUs). While there are harm-reduction programmes with needle/syringe exchange and other services there are still no drug (methadone or buperonorphine) substitution programmes in the country. 

Men Who Have Sex with Men (MSM) is a term created to include MSM who do not identify as gay or bisexual. Among them commercial sex workers including male sex workers (MSWs) are those men who indulge in sexual activity with another man for money or financial benefits. Similarly transvestites or hijra sex workers (HSWs) are those who identify themselves as hijras and indulge in sexual activity with another man for money or financial benefits. Findings of subsequent rounds of second generation surveillance conducted in the country suggest that these two groups are emerging as the second highest risk group in Pakistan. 

Their numbers in four cities of Sindh (Karachi, Hyderbad, Sukkur and Larkana) are estimated to be around 16,000 (MSWs 7,700 and HSWs 8,300). The prevalence of HIV infection has been on the rise among them. In 2004-5, the Karachi Pilot study found the prevalence of the HIV infection 7% (14/200) and in round 1 of surveillance in 2005-6 in Karachi the infection was found to be 4% (8/200) among MSWs and 1.5% (3/200) among HSWs. In 2006-7 the infection rates had risen to 7.5% in Karachi.  In other cities of Sindh for e.g. in Larkana it was found to be 2.5% among MSWs and 14% among HSWs; in Hyderabad 2% (4/200) HSWs were HIV positive. Previous studies have also documented their risk factors in 1999.

In view of the emerging threat Sindh AIDS Control Programme started service delivery packages for prevention and control of HIV infection for MSM in Karachi, Hyderabad and Sukkur in 2006. The clientele of MSW/HSW range from unmarried or married bisexual men, migrant workers and long-distance truck drivers living away from home.  Condom use among MSW and HSW in paid commercial sex in Sindh has also been quite low (6.7%) while reviewed literature suggests that correct and consistent condom use reduces the risk of sexual transmission of HIV infection by 80-90% and efficacy that exceeds those reported for many of the world's standard vaccines.

It is notable that at least 5-10 percent of all HIV cases worldwide are attributable to sexual transmission between men. In countries in the Asia-Pacific region, HIV prevalence among MSM ranges from 3-17 % (5 to 15 times higher than overall HIV prevalence). Prevention investment targeting MSM has been effective in reducing risk behaviours among MSM.

The experience of working and interacting with this high risk group in Pakistan suggest that it is relatively easier to work with hijras sex workers compared to male sex workers.  There are some key hurdles which require mentioning here:

1. Hijras are identifiable and relatively easier to work with however, their leader commonly called guru has to be involved in the process. 

2. Because of the stigma attached to MSM it is quite difficult to reach and educate them as they are a hidden group.  

3. The society as a whole in Pakistan is not willing to accept the existence of MSM/MSWs and fear of harassment and violence causes difficulty in identifying them. 

Prudent measures with appropriate coverage programmes increasing health awareness and promoting condom and lubricant use are needed to improve risky behaviours. The challenge is to achieve the desired behaviour change and practices which can help reduce the transmission of HIV among this vulnerable group.