PESHAWAR, Dec 24: The directorate of health is conducting a study to ascertain the number of HIV/Aids patients in Federally Administered Tribal Areas. “A survey is being conducted in the tribal agencies, especially in areas which have higher number of people working in the United Arab Emirate,” said Dr Iftikhar Ali, manager of the HIV/Aids Control Programme for Fata. According to him, one of the major causes of the spread of the disease in the tribal areas was immigrant workers.
He said about 110 HIV/Aids cases had so far been reported in Fata. He said the survey to be completed in one month would provide a clear picture of the situation in the tribal areas and the health department would be able to take measures accordingly.
To make the programme more effective in Fata, he said, an awareness campaign was also being launched with the help of local ulema, health professionals and community elders. He said paramedics, doctors and nurses had been trained for the purpose.
Furthermore, workshops and seminars would also be organised to create awareness among people. A council of elders would be formed to mobilise community, he said.
Dr Ali said barber shops and quacks would be the focus during the awareness campaign.
He said unscreened blood transfusion was also a major reason for the spread of the disease, adding that it had been planned to ensure screened flood transfusion.
He said that about 80 per cent of HIV cases reported in the NWFP were from the tribal belt. He said 49 cases had been reported in Kurram Agency, 27 in North Waziristan, 18 in South Waziristan, seven in Orakzai Agency, six in Khyber Agency and three in Bajaur Agency. In settled areas, 37 cases had been reported in Kohat, 19 in Bannu, 17 in Hangu and 12 in Peshawar, he said.
He said low literacy rate and poor socio-economic conditions were also reasons for the increase in Aids patients. High-risk groups included truck drivers, barbers, quacks and those working in Gulf states, he said.
Dr Ali said voluntary counselling centres and centres for sexually transmitted diseases had been set up in the tribal areas. The community would be persuaded to send suspected people, especially repatriates, for tests and free counselling at the centres, he said. Besides, he said, committees would also be formed to monitor functioning of the centres and make recommendations for improvement.
He said the Fata health directorate was also working on a plan in collaboration with the WHO, Unicef and federal and NWFP governments to control the disease.