KARACHI: A health crisis is unfolding in SITE Town, Karachi, where over 15 children aged one to nine have been diagnosed with HIV in recent weeks, with at least two fatalities reported. The outbreak appears linked to the Kulsum Bai Valika Social Security Hospital, where affected children had previously received treatment.
Local leaders, led by UC-1 Vice Chairman Irshad Khan, formed a five-member committee comprising political representatives to press hospital management for urgent action. The committee has identified 18 HIV-positive children so far, with many more still untested in the impoverished neighbourhood.
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Authorities at Valika Hospital confirmed that screening and treatment are underway, while Sindh Health Department officials emphasized the expansion of anti-retroviral therapy (ART) centres in the province. Dr Kanwal Mustafa, Additional Director HIV/AIDS, stated that a comprehensive approach is being taken to prevent and treat HIV, though the exact cause of the recent outbreak remains under investigation.
Irshad Khan, however, expressed concern over the hospital’s negligence, alleging that used syringes and unsafe practices may have contributed to the spread. “Many staff members confirmed the reuse of syringes. This could be one of the reasons HIV has spread among the children treated here,” he said.
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The situation has highlighted deep-seated public health challenges in Karachi, including poverty, illiteracy, unregulated medical practices, and a reliance on injections, which authorities say exacerbate the risk of HIV transmission.