A man in his early 40s recently came with complaints of chronic dry mouth, gum diseases and ulcer. On examination, he was found to be suffering from oropharyngeal candidiasis, which is commonly known as thrush, a fungal disease of oral mucosa and tongue. By his own account, he was also suffering from acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), had three marriages, and was a father of eight. I was simply stunned.

According to relevant data, the public-sector hospital in Kech has 339 registered patients who are positive for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and335 are beingtreated.Itis shocking that owing to lack of awareness about HIV/AIDS, people`s lives are being ruined. It is recommended that everyone between age 13 and 64 should have HIV test at least once in their life.

Unfortunately, in our culture, there are several reasons that will hold people back from getting an HIV test. Major obstacles include having no symptoms of illness, stigma, the fear of being discriminated against or judged negatively if a test shows positivity. It is necessary to raise awareness in society about HIV, and to develop national policies to establish a well-functioning referral system and appropriate spouse/ partner notification services.

Senior healthcare professionals and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) should consider arranging awareness sessions about HIV/AIDS in remote and backward areas across the country.

People must understand the risk associated with the disease, and take quick action to controlits prevalence.

Dr Gul Nisa Kech