KARACHI: The Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) has issued a “high-level alert” regarding what the organisation described as a disastrous rise in HIV cases among children in Sindh, while demanding strict enforcement of infection control practices and action against illegal clinics and unregistered blood banks.

According to the organisation, the total registered number of HIV-positive children has climbed up to 3,995 in the province with over 100 new cases reported in Karachi in 2025 alone.

“This is no longer just a medical crisis — it is a brewing socio-economic catastrophe. The impact of this outbreak extends far beyond the hospital, threatening the very fabric of society. Families are being pushed into extreme poverty due to lifelong treatment costs and loss of parental income, creating a permanent cycle of debt,” the association regretted.

Social stigma, it pointed out, remained a major barrier, with reports of children being denied school admissions and families being “dehumanised which further drives the epidemic underground”.

Association demands investigation into Sindh AIDS Control Programme’s affairs

It questioned the competence of the Sindh AIDS Control Programme (SACP) and the health department, noting that despite the 2019 Ratodero tragedy, infection control remained non-existent.

“What is the role of these institutions? We demand an immediate, transparent audit of SACP and all bodies responsible for HIV control. The government must explain why billions in resources and years of international support have failed to prevent our children from being infected in healthcare settings.

‘Marginalised youth’

The PMA warned that Pakistan’s current trajectory risks a generation of marginalised youth who will become a permanent burden on the state’s economy.

The PMA called on the government of Sindh and federal authorities to take strict measures to address the root causes of HIV transmission. These steps, it said, must include an immediate investigation into the SACP regarding the millions of funding gap and the stagnation of the National AIDS Control Programme (NACP) and enforcement of stringent new laws against quackery.

“There is an immediate need for a province-wide crackdown and monitoring system for hair salons and barbers to ensure the total ban on reusing blades and the mandatory use of sterilised equipment. The government should also initiate criminal proceedings against those individuals and facility owners whose negligence or illegal practices led to the spread of this deadly disease.”

It also demanded full implementation of Sindh HIV and AIDS Control Treatment and Protection Act to end discrimination in schools and workplaces and strict regulation of hospital waste disposal and a zero-tolerance policy on the reuse of syringes.

“Pakistan has the second-fastest-growing HIV epidemic in the Asia-Pacific region,” the PMA stated. “Silence and administrative apathy are no longer options. Those responsible for this negligence must be held accountable. If the government does not act today, the social and economic cost tomorrow will be too high.”

Published in Dawn, January 23rd, 2026