Private hospitals in Punjab ordered to report HIV cases within 24hrs

The Punjab Healthcare Commission (PHC) has mandated that all private hospitals and laboratories in Punjab report HIV cases within a 24-hour period to enhance their management protocols.

This directive requires private healthcare facilities to not only report confirmed HIV cases but also to include information on suspected cases within the same timeframe.

According to a letter from the PHC, patient details will be sent to the designated HIV/AIDS Treatment Centres.

To protect patient confidentiality, the PHC has stressed that personal information will be accessible solely to authorized personnel, with robust measures implemented to ensure privacy is maintained.

Failure to comply with these regulations will lead to severe consequences, including fines and the possible closure of the healthcare facility.

Through this policy, the PHC seeks to improve the tracking and treatment of HIV cases while preserving patient trust.

HIV is spread through contact with genitals, such as during sex without a condom. This type of infection is called a sexually transmitted infection, also called an STI.

HIV also is spread through contact with blood, such as when people share needles or syringes. It is also possible for a person with untreated HIV to spread the virus to a child during pregnancy, childbirth or breastfeeding.

There's no cure for HIV/AIDS. But medicines can control the infection and keep the disease from getting worse. Antiviral treatments for HIV have reduced AIDS deaths around the world. There's an ongoing effort to make ways to prevent and treat HIV/AIDS more available in resource-poor countries.