Our Rangpur Correspondent reports: Nine persons died while a good number of people were attacked with AIDS in six northern districts in last three years. They were inhabitants of Rangpur, Dinajpur, Gibandha,

Bogra, Pabna and Nagaon districts. Four AIDS patients died in Parbotipur, Dinajpur.

Speakers at Meet the Press on World AIDS Day in Rangpur disclosed this. They called upon all concerned to make people aware about the deadly disease.

A meeting was held at the auditorium of Rangpur Chamber of Commerce and Industry which was organised by the Centre for Communication and Development (CCD) in collaboration with CARE Bangladesh.

Rangpur Civil Surgeon Zoynal Abedin was the chief guest while Present of Rangpur Press Club Sadrul Alam was special guest.

Speakers sought adequate measures to check spread of AIDS in Bangladesh.

A rally was brought out in the town after the meeting. Almost all journalists of all national and local dailies participated in the rally.

Another meeting was held at a local hotel in the afternoon. Care Bangladesh through its partner organisation Paribarik Shastha Clinic organised the meeting where journalist Hamidur Rahman was present as chief guest while Monwara begum, director of the clinic was present as special guest.

Our Sylhet Staff Correspondent reports: About 300 patients were detected in greater Sylhet region, according to senior physicians of Osmani Medical College and leading NGOs here.

Sylhet region is vulnerable to HIV/AIDS, because it is closer to the border of Tripura, Meghalaya and Assam in India.

The highest number of expatriates in the region is also another cause of unfortunate situation.

Moreover, lack of awareness about AIV/AIDS is also responsible for spread of the deadly disease.

The Director of Health, Sylhet division, Dr Asad Uddin told that lack of coordination of government and NGOs is also a reason of its prevalence in the region.

According to a senior physician of Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College, Dr Sofir Uddin, the situation is getting worse day by day. Every month new patients are getting admitted in the hospital. Five new patients were admitted in last two months.

They were deported from Saudi Arabia, he said. Most of the patients hail from Fenchuganj and Kanaighat upazilas in Sylhet, Barlekha and Kulaura in Moulvibazar district.

Besides, some AIDS cases were detected in Sylhet Sadar and Beanibazar upazilas, according to the physicians. They were deported from Saudi Arabia and other gulf states.

They hesitated to take treatment from physicians here due to superstition and other reasons.

In most cases, they were seen hiding their medical history. They told doctors that they were suffering from TB and skin diseases. After several tests, physicians detected them as HIV positive/AIDS patients.

About 10 NGOs are working here to create awareness among people and counseling to AIDS patients. The organisations are providing service to different risk groups like truck drivers, sex workers and stone quarry labourers.

But, they are indifferent to expatriates patients. According to record of Ashar Alo Society, a national NGO working with HIV positives/AIDS patients, 48 patients were treated by their physicians. Of them 11 patients died, said an official.

According to Dr Shibbir Ahmed Shibli, Head of the Community Medicine Department of Osmani Medical College, the situation is getting serious.

Meanwhile, blood screening of suspected patients have been stopped for the last two years in Sylhet Osmani Medical College as the 'ELISA' machine

Required for different pathological and microbiological tests became inoperative due to lack of spare parts.

Moreover, reagents required for the test are also not available.

A technician was sent to Philippines for undergoing training on operation of the sophisticated machine.

Although some private diagnostic centres started testing, yet charges are too high for a common man. The reports are also controversial to many, some senior physicians told this correspondent.

Our Khulna Staff Correspondent reports: Six patients AIDS patients were detected here which include a couple.

All are undergoing treatment with assistance from CARE Bangladesh. All of them are migrants.

Deputy Civil Surgeon Daud Ali told a press conference all-out measures are underway to prevent its outbreak.

He said condoms for female sex workers are also being supplied by some NGOs here.

Meanwhile, a six-day programme was chalked out from December 1 to 6 to mark the World AIDS Day-2004.