AIDS Control Program provincial chief Dr Afzal Khan Zarkoon has said that the number of HIV/AIDS patients in Balochistan has crossed the 5,000 mark, a situation that is prompting serious concern among the people of the province.
Addressing an Ulema Seminar on the AIDS Control Program, Dr Zarkoon stated that the prevention of the disease had become necessary in Balochistan. To that end, he said, religious scholars, civil society and the media should all play their role and join the Balochistan government in creating awareness among the people about the disease.
This united effort against the disease, he said, was essential as it would be difficult for the Balochistan government to fight the disease alone.
He pointed out that, due to the lack of awareness about the disease, many people believe it is contracted solely through sexual contact when, in reality, there are many causes of AIDS.
Source: The Express Tribune
