Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Jul 8: A government-run hospital in Pakistan's Sindh province is under scrutiny following reports that dozens of children were infected with HIV, allegedly due to the reuse of contaminated disposable syringes during medical treatment.
According to a report by The Telegraph (UK), at least 78 children contracted HIV at Kulsoom Bai Valika Hospital. The alleged outbreak has sparked protests by affected families, who claim authorities failed to conduct an independent investigation after the infections first came to light in November last year.
The families subsequently approached the Sindh High Court, which has directed the provincial government to submit a report within two weeks explaining the circumstances surrounding the infections.
The petition before the court alleges that more than 200 children may have been infected after disposable syringes were allegedly reused at the hospital. It also claims that at least nine children have died, although these figures have not been officially confirmed.
According to the report, the petition describes the alleged reuse of disposable syringes as a case of criminal negligence and accuses the authorities of failing to carry out a proper investigation or ensure adequate medical care for the affected children.
The incident has renewed concerns about the growing number of HIV infections among children in Pakistan.
Citing data from Sindh's Health Department, The Telegraph reported that 329 of the 894 HIV cases recorded in the province between January and March this year involved children.
Pakistan has experienced similar healthcare-related HIV outbreaks in the past. One of the most significant occurred in Ratodero, Sindh, in 2019, when hundreds of children were infected in an outbreak later linked to unsafe injection practices.
A subsequent investigation by the World Health Organization identified the reuse of contaminated needles as the primary factor behind the Ratodero outbreak.
The report noted that by June 2019, more than 800 children in the town had tested positive for HIV. Although international attention faded during the COVID-19 pandemic, new cases have continued to emerge in the years since, highlighting ongoing concerns about infection control practices in parts of the country's healthcare system.