The federal government has decided to conduct HIV screening of Pakistani citizens deported from other countries at airports and border crossing points, sources said.
Officials decided on the measure after an increase in deported Pakistanis registering at AIDS centres. The screening will be carried out with cooperation from the Federal Investigation Agency.
Border Health Services staff will screen deported passengers at airports. The screening will also be conducted at all border crossing points, the sources added.
The National AIDS Control Programme will provide screening kits to Border Health Services staff.
If a passenger tests positive during screening, the person will be shifted to an ART Centre and registered for treatment. HIV details are usually not mentioned in the deportation papers of Pakistani passengers.
They added that deported citizens from Gulf and African countries were among those most often found HIV-positive.
