PESHAWAR, Dec 1: Experts here have said HIV/Aids is prevalent among 13 per cent injecting drug users in the Peshawar district and have called for preventive measures to control the spread of the disease.

“A study recently conducted on 130 injecting drug users found 29 per cent of them positive for HIV/Aids. The situation is alarming and warrants urgent measures,” said Dr Rohullah Jan, manager of the provincial Aids Control Programme, on Monday.

Speaking at a ceremony held in connection with the World Aids Day at the Khyber Medical College, he said the NWFP and Fata had recorded 365 and 102 patients, respectively, so far. The number of such patients could be more if all the population was subjected to blood screening.

He said the disease was spreading fast and awareness regarding it could make a marked difference.

He said every month about 15 cases were diagnosed in hospitals of the province, fearing that the number might be bigger because most people did not consult doctors as it was considered a social stigma.

He said the government was spending a huge amount of money to eradicate the ailment in the country.

The event was jointly organised by the Aids Control Programme, World Health Organisation and the Social Welfare Society of the Khyber Medical College. On this occasion, a speech competition was also held among students.

Dr Jan regretted that the hujra culture had ended which was a worthwhile place where elders would train their youth about social problems. He called for steps to tell the masses about the effective role of the hujra culture.

He said the number of HIV patients diagnosed so far was higher among males. Treatment of each patient, he said, cost Rs100,000, which was being given free in Abbottabad, Kohat and LRH, Peshawar, and other major city hospitals.

Khyber Medical College principal Prof Fazal Ahmed said Aids was a silent killer that could be checked through preventive steps. He urged the doctors to spread a message across regarding causative agents of the disease.

According to him, the main causes of the disease were administration of unscreened blood and repeated use of disposable syringes, besides unsafe sexual practices.

On this occasion, students also presented skits through which they informed about the causes and impacts of HIV/Aids.

ART COMPETITION: An art competition took place among students of the department of fine arts of the University of Peshawar to mark the World Aids Day. Students were later given prizes.

MUSHAIRA: The Islamia College University organised a Pashto Mushaira to mark the occasion.

Speaking as chief guest, Vice-Chancellor Ajmal Khan called upon teachers to play their role in creating awareness among the youth about the fatal disease. He said educational institutes could be the best forum for highlighting the hazards effects and ways of prevention of Aids. The vice-chancellor’s speech was followed by an interesting Mushaira in which 50 eminent Pashto poets from the Khyber Agency, Kohat, Mardan, Dir, Swat, Malakand, Swabi, Bannu, Dera Ismail Khan and the Malakand region participated.