At least 78 children have been infected with HIV in a mass outbreak at a government hospital in Pakistan. Local authorities have launched an investigation after allegations emerged that the reuse of contaminated disposable syringes was the cause.
At least 78 children were infected with HIV at Kulsoom Bai Valika Hospital in Sindh province, in southeastern Pakistan, provincial Labor Minister Saeed Ghani said, according to Britain's Telegraph and other outlets on Sunday. Ghani pledged to thoroughly investigate how the infections occurred and to take stern action if the responsibility of medical staff, officials, or others involved is revealed.
The provincial government's stance came after parents of the affected children demanded for months that the truth be uncovered. Since the first infection case was reported in November last year, parents had consistently called for an independent investigation. When the provincial government did not respond, they filed a petition with the Sindh High Court.
On Wednesday, the High Court ordered the provincial government to submit within two weeks a report detailing how the infections occurred and how it responded, stating that the hospital has a legal obligation to provide safe medical services to patients.
Petitioner Tariq Mansoor argued in court that "children contracted HIV because the hospital reused contaminated disposable syringes." On Thursday, parents of the affected children held a press conference in front of the Press Club in Karachi, Sindh province, and said the actual number of infected children exceeds 200, of whom at least nine have died. They demanded action against hospital officials and lifelong treatment for the infected children.
HIV infections among children in Sindh province are on a rapidly rising trend. According to Sindh authorities, the number of infected children surged from 10 in 2024 to 70 in 2025. Of the 894 HIV infection cases registered in Sindh from January to March this year, 329 occurred in children.
The Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) pointed out that the rise in HIV infections among children in Sindh reflects a serious failure by authorities in infection control and regulation. It also warned that unsafe medical practices, including the reuse of syringes at unlicensed hospitals, are causing serious public health problems, and that the reported cases may be only the tip of the iceberg.
This is similar to a problem that also occurred in Sindh in 2019. At that time, a large-scale outbreak of HIV infections among children occurred centered on the Ratodero area, and the World Health Organization (WHO) identified the reuse of contaminated syringes and poor infection control as the main causes.
The exact scale of the damage and the cause of the infections currently require further investigation. The provincial government has officially confirmed 78 infected children, but according to parents' claims, the actual number of infected people may be far higher, which is why the High Court's investigation order is drawing attention.
