UNITED NATIONS, June 2: Federal Health Minister Nasir Khan told a United Nations committee on Thursday that Pakistan was determined to build a strong infrastructure to combat the spread of the dreaded HIV/AIDS in the country.

He said there were 5,800 registered HIV/Aids cases in Pakistan but noted that it was an “underreported figure.” Mr Khan estimated there were at least 50,000 cases of HIV in Pakistan but due to the stigma attached to the disease people were not forthcoming.

“We have a strong political commitment to eradicate this disease,” he said.

Mr Khan, who is leading the Pakistan delegation, said prevention was the key to controlling the epidemic and the Pakistan government was doing everything possible to make people aware of HIV/AIDS through all available means, including the news media. “We believe that is the most effective strategy.”

As regards the treatment, he called on countries producing anti-AIDS drugs, especially the United States, to work out with their pharmaceutical companies a plan to lower the medicine rates for the benefit of the infected people in developing countries.