KARACHI: The Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) has raised a serious red flag about the alarming surge in HIV infections among children in Sindh — now totaling 3,995 registered cases, with over 100 new ones reported in Karachi alone in 2025 — calling it a “disastrous” crisis that threatens families with lifelong hardship and urging immediate government action against quack doctors, illegal clinics, and unregistered blood banks.
In a strongly worded statement, the PMA described the situation as no longer just a health emergency but a growing socio-economic disaster. Families face crushing treatment costs and lost income, trapping them in debt, while social stigma often leads to children being denied school admission and communities shunning affected households — pushing the problem further underground.
🚨 A serious warning from Pakistan’s top doctors
The Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) has declared the rising number of HIV cases among children in Sindh a national emergency, warning of long-term health, social, and economic consequences. pic.twitter.com/SMnRIFZPI6
— Medical News (@MedicalNewsPk) January 22, 2026
Key Highlights
- Registered HIV-positive children in Sindh: 3,995, with 100+ new cases in Karachi in 2025.
- PMA demands urgent audit of Sindh AIDS Control Programme (SACP) and explanation for persistent failures post-2019 Ratodero tragedy.
- Calls for province-wide crackdown on quackery, hair salons/barbers reusing blades, and unregistered blood banks.
- Urges full enforcement of Sindh HIV and AIDS Control Treatment and Protection Act to end discrimination in schools/workplaces.
- Demands zero-tolerance on syringe reuse, proper hospital waste disposal, and criminal action against negligent practitioners.
- Pakistan has the second-fastest-growing HIV epidemic in Asia-Pacific region.
The association questioned why, despite billions in funding and international aid, infection control remains weak in healthcare settings years after the Ratodero outbreak exposed massive lapses. It demanded a transparent investigation into the SACP, the National AIDS Control Programme, and related bodies to uncover funding gaps and administrative failures.
Protecting the Next Generation
For ordinary families, especially in vulnerable communities, this rise in child infections is heartbreaking — children born or infected through unsafe medical practices face a lifetime of challenges. The PMA warned that without decisive steps, Pakistan risks creating a generation of marginalized youth who could become a long-term burden on the economy through health costs and lost productivity.
The group called for concrete measures: immediate crackdowns on unsafe practices at barbers and salons, mandatory sterilized equipment, strict regulation of blood banks, and prosecution of those responsible for negligence. It also pushed for better awareness, stigma reduction, and full implementation of existing laws to ensure fair treatment in education and jobs.
Time for Accountability
The PMA stressed that silence and inaction are no longer acceptable. With Pakistan’s HIV epidemic growing faster than most in the region, holding responsible parties accountable and enforcing basic safety standards in healthcare could save countless lives and protect families from preventable tragedy. The association urged both provincial and federal authorities to act swiftly — the cost of delay will be far too high for the nation and its children.
Check out our latest video:
