85,000 infected with HIV in Pakistan: health statistics by WPF

[Naveed Yaseen]

About 85,000 people in the age bracket of 20-44 are infected with HIV and AIDS in Pakistan where as 71 per cent (5 million) drug addicts in Pakistan are of 25-30 years with their number rising by 7 per cent every year.

These statistics are issued to the press by the World Population Foundation (WPF) Pakistan on the occasion of International World Population Day, an event observed on July 11 to raise awareness about global population issues. The statistics reveal that Pakistan currently has 54.2 million young people under the age bracket of 10-24 that makes 34 per cent of its total population. This large group is particularly at a verge of much risky behaviours and often lacks access to the technology and information.

Many also face social inequality, poor schools, gender discrimination, unemployment and inadequate health systems. According to some figures reflective of the problems faced by young population, about 1,200 young people start smoking every day. Around 2,321 children below the age of 18 were sexually abused in 2007 and 137 young people were the victims of corporal punishment in 2007.

The data provided by the WPF show that suicides and attempted suicide cases increased from 2,712 in 2005 to 3,919 in 2006, mostly by young people, and only 11 per cent of males and 4 per cent of females take part in the decision making process of marriage. Women between the ages of 15 to 49 make 49.7 per cent of the total population. Young married women in Pakistan are under great socio - cultural pressure to become mothers early.

According to PRB — The World’s Youth 2006 Data Sheet, almost 5 per cent of young married females aged 15 years begin child bearing whereas by the age of 19, 30 per cent of females reported to be pregnant or being mothers. Adding to their problems, the reproductive health is neglected and less explored area with poor health facilities in Pakistan. Some of the health indicators of the country show that each year more than 25,000 women become the target of maternal mortality.

The maternal mortality ratio per 100,000 women is 500 whereas infant mortality rate per 1,000 live births is 74.6.

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