PESHAWAR, Nov 30: Over 300 new cases of HIV/Aids are reported in the NWFP and Fata during the current year, a doctor at the Pakistan Medical and Research Centre (PMRC) told Dawn on Wednesday. However, according to the NWFP Enhanced HIV/Aids Control Programme, only 35 new cases were recorded during the last 11 months.

The PMRC at the Khyber Medical College (KMC) claimed that the new cases included eight newborn babies who contracted the disease from their mothers.

Of the remaining patients, 29 are household wives, 83 labourers, 41 truck drivers, 4 businessmen, one student and 14 Afghan refugees. 46 persons refused to disclose their identities for fear of social stigma associated with the disease.

The official said that 46 new cases were reported from Kurram Agency, 26 from North Waziristan, 18 each from South Waziristan and Bannu, 17 from Hangu, 10 each from Swat and Peshawar, 7 from Orakzai Agency, 5 from Mardan, 6 each from Khyber Agency and Charsadda, 4 from Dir, 3 each from Swabi, Nowshera and Dera Ismail Khan, 2 from Chitral and one from Karak.

“Most of them got infections while working abroad where they indulge in sex with prostitutes”, he said, adding that when they visited Pakistani embassies in those countries for renewal of documents, they were subjected to compulsory HIV tests and on having been found HIV positive, they were deported to Pakistan.

He said as there was no facility of blood screening at Pakistani airports, these workers on their return, disappeared. At homes they transmitted the disease to their wives and others who come in contact with them. About truck drivers, he said that they got the infection by indulging in unsafe sex with young boys.