Background and Scope of Work

The Northern Areas (NAs)

The NAs of Pakistan is spread over an area of 72,496 square kilometers of rugged and mountainous terrain. The area is federally administered, having six administrative districts. It got its freedom on 1st November 1947 and annexed to Pakistan. The region is comprised of an estimated population of 1.5 million souls living around 1, 000 villages and covered with 150,000 households. Gilgit is head quarter of the region. It is bounded by Xingjian Province of China on its North, India on East, Central Asian States on its North West, NWFP and Afghanistan on its West and Pakistan on its South. Majority of the area is in monsoon shadow. The area is situated about 600 KMs away from Islamabad.

Scope:

In Pakistan around 3250 HIV/AIDS cases have been registered so far and according to an estimate there are near about 90,000 HIV/AIDS cases exist in Pakistan. In the Northern Areas only few HIV cases have been registered through NAACP so far, but according to a rough estimate by NAACC there are around 200 HIV/AIDS cases exist in this region. Although the prevalence rate of HIV/AIDS is low, but due to high-risky behaviours of vulnerable groups i.e. Intravenous Drug Users (IDUs), Men having Sex with Men (MSM), Female Sex Workers (FSWs), Border Traders (Trade with China), Tourists Guides/Porters, Long distance Truck/Bus drivers, migrants, mobile workers, out of school youth and general youth, there are huge chances of spreading of HIV/AIDS in Northern Areas. Besides that the world’s second highest prevalent country India is neighbour of this region, which has 4 million HIV/AIDS cases (World’s 10% out of total HIV/AIDS cases). The Republic of China is also neighbour of this area and more than 4000 people of Northern Areas especially youth are engaged in business and trade activities with China. The prevalence rate of HIV/AIDS is high in this country because people having high risky behaviours. It is heard that a large number of border traders visiting from Northern Areas are indulged in unsafe sexual practices in different cities of China. Besides that, annually thousands of International Tourists are coming from all over the world in Northern Areas for Expedition, Hiking, Tracking, Mountaineering, Ice Climbing, Rock Climbing, Picnics and Tourism etc. It is also heard that the Tour Operators, Tourist Guides, Porters and hotel management are indulged in unsafe sexual practices with these tourists as well, which can also be a cause for transmission of HIV/AIDS in this region. Due to low rate of education, ignorance, poverty, shortage of standard health facilities and bad practices of traditional healers & quakes, majority of people of Northern Areas are unaware about the use of screened blood, new syringes, blades, dental equipments and surgeries related equipments, which, can also be a cause for transmission of HIV and other infections among the people of this region. Keeping in view the said vulnerabilities and high risky behaviours of people of this region, NAACC has been established in the right time and implementing integrated and appropriate interventions first time in the history of Northern Areas throughout the entire region to prevent the area from deadly diseases of HIV/AIDS.

Milestone:

AIDS is a fatal disease and became epidemic for whole human race, presently no cure has been diagnosed. To keep in mind the point that it has no cure and general treatment at global or world level. Activities in Northern Areas on prevention and control of HIV/AIDS were started since 1996, through Government based, Northern Areas AIDS Control Programme while from civil society organizations perspective, Publishing Extension Network (PEN) in 1997, started awareness raising and capacity building activities regarding HIV/AIDS since in collaboration with Northern Areas AIDS Control Programme. Some other NGOs like Al-Amin foundation and Ceena Health Center also contributed initially but couldn’t continue their efforts and activities further.

During 1999, some other NGOs i.e. Al-Khair Welfare Organization, Aga Khan Health, John Hopkins University Research Project joined hands with Northern Areas AIDS Control Programme and Publishing Extension Network to extend activities on prevention and control against HIV/AIDS and provided an intervention based joint forum against HIV/AIDS working with Right Based Approaches.

Subsequently during 2000-2001 Mr. Ishtiaq Ahmed worked with AMAL-Human Development Network Islamabad as a Maser Trainer in a UNICEF Capacity Building Project on HIV/AIDS Prevention in all districts of Northern Areas. Under this project seven Training of Trainers were conducted successfully in Northern Areas

During year 2002, efforts were made for establishment of Northern Areas AIDS Control Consortium (NAACC) which is called as “NAIK” in Urdu, means a kind. Those efforts were materialized and formal registration was accomplished in the year 2004. Founding members of the NAACC, Dr. Abdul Latif, Mr. Ejaz Ahmed Khan, Mr. Ishtiaq Ahmed and Ms. Tai Saleem finally established this first everlasting Consortium in the history of Northern Areas under the nomenclature of Northern Areas AIDS Control Consortium (NAACC). NAACC then was registered with Govt during 2004, which is now a network of 32 registered NGOs and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) of health and social sector from all six districts of the Federally Administered Northern Areas (FANA) of Pakistan with special focus on prevention and control of HIV and AIDS and other infectious diseases including Hepatitis B and C and others in the Northern Areas. Since its establishment NAACC has undertaken number of activities to make the environment enable to work for prevention and control of HIV and AIDS in the region. All efforts of NAACC have made path to fight AIDS and to reduce stigma and discrimination associated with the epidemic in Northern Areas.