Medical experts at the HIV Centre of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) are worried about the increasing number of patients, especially children, with HIV. The AIDS Control Programme’s Manager, Zubair Abdullah, attributes the rise in cases to more people seeking testing, emphasizing the importance of HIV prevention education. Pakistan’s Ministry of National Health Services data shows 189 new HIV-positive cases since October 2025, with more cases detected among men and children.
A recent investigative documentary exposed serious malpractice in a government hospital in Punjab province, linked to an HIV outbreak among children. Despite authorities’ crackdown announcements, secret filming by ‘BBC Eye Investigations’ revealed ongoing risks to children’s lives due to poor infection control practices. The footage showed nurses using dirty syringes, unqualified workers administering contaminated medicine, and other alarming violations.
The BBC investigation in Taunsa, Punjab, found that 331 children tested positive for HIV between November 2024 and October 2025. Shockingly, infections persisted even after the government’s promised crackdown. Hospital officials, however, have denied any wrongdoing, with the current Medical Superintendent suggesting the footage might have been staged or recorded before his tenure.
