There are more than 600 people in Balochistan who are registered as HIV/Aids patients with the number of non-registered patients deemed to be more alarming.

The number of non-registered patients is more alarming," said Dr. Noor Qazi, Chief of Balochistan Aids Control Program.

Qazi was speaking at an event held in Quetta to mark the World Aids Day 2016.

The program has registered 638 HIV/Aids patients belonging to various parts of the province so far, of which only 407 are getting medicines regularly, Qazi added.

Most of the patients registered by the programme belong to the Makran and Zhob divisions of the province.

Many of the them live in Gulf and other countries, Qazi revealed.

"A lot of them are also suffering from drug addiction and are also incarcerated."

"Patients inside prisons are a matter of serious concern," said the chief of the provincial Aids program.

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Additionally, the programme head said a large number of coal miners are also suffering from Aids but are refusing treatment.

Balochistan health department has also established two Aids control centres in Quetta and Turbat in order to provide treatment to patients suffering from the disease.

"Only precaution can protect people from catching this disease," Dr KD Usmani, head of the Quetta AIDS control centre, said, adding a lot needs to be done to create awareness about the illness.