Dozens of children in Pakistan’s Sindh province were infected with HIV at Kulsoom Bai Valika Hospital due to the alleged reuse of contaminated syringes. Families protested for months, demanding an independent inquiry into the outbreak that started last November. Following a court directive, the government has been asked to explain the cause of the infections within two weeks.
The petition filed before the court claims that over 200 children contracted HIV from reused disposable syringes at the hospital. Families allege that nine children have died, although official confirmation is pending. The petition highlights criminal negligence due to the reuse of disposable syringes and accuses authorities of neglecting to investigate or provide proper treatment to the affected children.
The incident adds to concerns about pediatric HIV infections in Pakistan, with 329 out of 894 HIV cases in Sindh between January and March this year involving children. Pakistan has faced previous healthcare-related HIV outbreaks, including the 2019 Ratodero incident where contaminated needles led to hundreds of children being infected. An investigation by the World Health Organization attributed the primary cause of the outbreak to unsafe injection practices.
