Eighty-eight Afghan refugees, including those from the Tribal Areas, have been found to be infected with AIDS, and also include 10 Afghan refugee women. Sources from the Health Department said Pakistan and Afghanistan’s authorities had been known to have evolved a joint strategy to detect and prevent AIDS among Afghan refugees. According to the strategy, Afghan refugees who got infected with the disease through the use of contaminated injections would be identified, admitted and treated at a centre set up at Lady Reading Hospital, Peshawar. The infected Afghan refugees, residing in Hayatabad, Thakal, Zaryab Colony, Faqirabad and other had preferred being treated in Pakistan, rather than in Afghanistan. Those infected are aged between 25-45 years and include both registered and unregistered Afghan nationals.
