(Digital Itla) Karachi: Over the past decade, Sindh has witnessed four major HIV/AIDS outbreaks. Despite this, effective and long-term strategies for infection control, safe syringe use, blood screening, monitoring private clinics, and eliminating unsafe medical practices have yet to be established.
In 2016, a major incident of HIV transmission occurred among dialysis patients in Larkana, raising serious concerns regarding the Sindh Blood Transfusion Authority and related systems; while action was taken against certain blood banks, permanent reforms were not implemented.
Later in 2019, a horrific HIV outbreak occurred among children in Ratodero, infecting over 1,000 people, more than 80% of whom were children. International organizations, including the World Health Organization (WHO), declared the event extraordinary, with investigations identifying unsafe injections and the reuse of contaminated syringes as primary causes.
In May 2026, over two dozen HIV-positive children were brought to the Gambat Institute of Medical Sciences in Khairpur, once again raising critical questions about the spread of HIV among children in Sindh.
Additionally, cases of HIV among children began surfacing at Kulsumbai Valika Hospital in Karachi in November 2025 and continue to be reported. While relevant authorities acknowledged negligence and took action against responsible individuals, public health experts emphasize that isolated actions cannot replace systemic reforms. Experts point out that a common thread across all major outbreaks is unsafe medical practices—particularly syringe reuse, infection control lapses, and weak regulatory oversight. Had effective reforms followed each major tragedy, subsequent incidents could have been largely prevented. Health experts stress that these recurring events prove temporary measures were taken without establishing fundamental reforms or strong monitoring, turning the HIV spread into an ongoing public health crisis.
In April this year, the Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Society of Pakistan held a press conference in Karachi to release a comprehensive white paper on the rapid increase of HIV across the country. The white paper warned that the number of people living with HIV in Pakistan has increased 4.3-fold since 2010, alongside a sharp rise in annual AIDS-related deaths. Only 21% of infected individuals in the country are diagnosed, and a mere 16% receive treatment.
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