LANDI KOTAL (Khyber Agency), Jan 16: The Al-Khidmat Foundation will impart necessary information about HIV/Aids to at least 100 Imams as part of a programme to engage religious leaders for the prevention and control of the deadly disease in Khyber Agency.

Among the 110 HIV-positive cases so far reported in the seven tribal agencies, six were diagnosed in Khyber Agency.

The health authorities were, however, reluctant to tell the name of patients because of the social stigma attached to this disease.

Giving details of the one year programme, Dr Muhammad Iqbal Khalil, coordinator National Aids Control Programme, said the role of religious leaders was very important in tribal areas and tribesmen being religious-minded could easily be approached through them.

He said the foundation would provide basic information about HIV/Aids to the Imams of various mosques in Khyber Agency who would use it in their Friday sermons and daily interactions with native tribesmen to aware them of the disease.

He said a similar programme launched in Uganda, one of the African countries, had very fruitful results in awaking general masses about HIV/Aids. “It is feasible to mobilize the Muslim community to combat Aids through mosque and Imam,” said Dr Khalil.

The Fata health directorate had earlier in December 2005, deputed a computer operator and a laboratory technician in the agency headquarters hospitals of all the seven tribal agencies as part of its three-year HIV/Aids control and awareness programme.