PESHAWAR, May 11: An HIV positive man has planned to form an association of AIDS patients to create awareness about the disease and remove the stigma attached to the infection.

Wuqaat Khan, 40, was diagnosed with AIDS in 1997 in Abu Dhabi where he was working as taxi driver. Soon he was deported to Pakistan. "When I came to Pakistan I thought I would get better treatment but I was disappointed by the apathy and remarks of the doctor who examined me," Wuqaat Khan told Dawn.

There were no treatment facilities for the HIV positive people despite the fact that the number of AIDS patients in Kohat and Hangu districts was on the rise. Forty-four AIDS patients have been registered in Kohat and Hangu districts so far, while many more were unaccounted for and they could transmit the virus to other people.

Wuqaat Khan's wife died some time ago while giving birth to their eighth child. She too was HIV positive. Mr Khan is not only fighting for his life, but is also trying to save the life of his HIV positive son.

He is worried about the future of his children as there will be no one to look after them once he is not around. The apathy of health officials, especially doctors treating such patients adds to the problems of AIDS victims.

"There are many people I know who want to go for the CD test but this test is so expensive that many of them could not afford it. To make matters worse medicines for AIDS patients are a rarity," Mr Khan maintained.

The CD test costs about Rs12,000 to Rs15,000 and according to medical experts, possibilities of development of any AIDS vaccine in the next 10 years is almost non-existent.

Wuqaat Khan said his proposed association - People Living with HIV\AIDS (PLWHA) - will help identify infected people and help them cope with the disease. AIDS patients of Kohat district will be made member of this association who will not only help identify other HIV positive patients, but would also provide them a platform to raise their demands for medical assistance.

The proposed body also plans to raise awareness about the disease and steps for its prevention. "The PLWHA would guide and help AIDS patients whom I know in my community.

Due to the discriminatory attitude of the community, many infected people are afraid to come out in open and face the society," Wuqaat Khan maintained.

A majority of people from Hangu and Kohat are working in emirates where they contracted the AIDS virus, a social worker Shazia Hina said and added that the infected deportees often carry the disease back home.

Wuqaat Khan said that there were people in his community who were infected with HIV but they had kept it a secret. These AIDS patients had told the villagers that they were suffering from blood cancer because otherwise they would have to face the hatred of the community people and would be isolated, said Mr Khan.

People were not aware about this disease and they were so poor that they could not afford expensive medicines. Many HIV patients who didn't know much about AIDS even went to a practitioner in herbal medicines, Mr Khan claimed.

"I appeal to the government to provide medicines to AIDS patients as medicines are being provided to such people by governments all over the world," Mr Khan added.