Dozens of children infected with HIV in Pakistan: Report
New Delhi, July 8
Dozens of children were infected with HIV at a government-run hospital in Pakistan's Sindh province amid allegations that contaminated syringes were reused during treatment, according to a report.
According to a report by the UK-based The Telegraph, at least 78 children contracted HIV at Kulsoom Bai Valika Hospital in Sindh.
The report said the investigation follows months of protests by families, who accused the authorities of failing to order an independent inquiry into the outbreak, which was first reported in November last year.
The families eventually approached the Sindh High Court, which directed the government to submit a report within two weeks explaining the cause of the infections.
The petition filed before the court alleges that more than 200 children contracted HIV after disposable syringes were allegedly reused at the hospital.
The families also claimed that at least nine children have died, although officials have not confirmed those figures.
According to the report, the petition argues that the reuse of disposable syringes amounts to criminal negligence and accuses the authorities of failing to investigate the incident or ensure proper treatment for the affected children.
The outbreak comes amid growing concern over paediatric HIV infections in Pakistan.
Citing Sindh's health department, The Telegraph reported that 329 of the 894 HIV cases recorded in the province between January and March this year were among children.
Pakistan has witnessed several healthcare-associated HIV outbreaks in recent years, including the 2019 Ratodero outbreak in Sindh, where hundreds of children were infected after contaminated needles were allegedly reused. A subsequent World Health Organization investigation identified unsafe injection practices as the primary cause of the outbreak.
"By June that year, more than 800 children had tested positive in the town of 300,000. The town then slipped out of the global headlines as the world wrestled with the Covid-19 pandemic. But the cases have kept coming," the report said.
— IANS
Reader Comments
As a mother, this breaks my heart. 78 children infected because of reused syringes? That's criminal negligence, plain and simple. The authorities should be held accountable. It's 2024, and we're still facing such basic issues in healthcare. 😢
This is not just Pakistan's problem. India has also seen similar scandals in the past. We need to ensure proper training and monitoring in all government hospitals. The WHO has already flagged unsafe injection practices as a major issue. Our governments must take this seriously.
The families have been protesting since November last year, and only now is there some action? The Sindh High Court had to step in. This shows the complete failure of the system. Those responsible must be punished, and the children need immediate treatment. 😔
As someone working in global health, this is a stark reminder of the systemic failures in healthcare infrastructure in developing nations. The 2019 Ratodero outbreak should have been a wake-up call, but clearly, lessons were not learned. Heartbreaking for those families.
This is tragic, but let's not use this to score political points against Pakistan. This is a human tragedy that could happen anywhere if protocols aren't followed. The focus should be on the victims and ensuring justice for these children and their families.
D We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.