With 150 children reportedly testing positive for HIV in just the first few months of 2024.
The alarming rise in HIV cases among children in Sindh’s Mirpurkhas district is a public health crisis that demands immediate attention. With 150 children reportedly testing positive for HIV in just the first few months of 2024, this district is on the verge of becoming another Larkana, infamous for its HIV outbreak back in 2019. Mirpurkhas accounts for over 26% of the 568 paediatric HIV cases documented in the province last year, raising questions about the effectiveness of current health policies and the protection of vulnerable populations, particularly children.
The statistics are indeed unsettling. On average, 48 children are diagnosed with HIV each month in Sindh, and most of the parents of the infected children tested negative for the virus, suggesting that the mode of transmission is linked to the healthcare infrastructure and practices rather than familial origin. Poor infection prevention and control measures, particularly the reuse of syringes and intravenous drips by unscrupulous medical practitioners, are the main causes, but other poor hygiene practices were also cited. The fact that Sindh can’t even maintain quality checks on blood also raises concern over its ability to handle emergencies – tainted blood in such a situation could lead to a snowballing disaster.
Public health officials have long been raising the alarm for a multi-pronged strategy to combat this crisis. Beyond widespread screening services in high-prevalence districts, there is also a pressing need for stricter regulations governing medical practitioners, particularly in rural areas where the lines between licensed and unlicensed practitioners are tragically blurred. Robust infection prevention protocols must also be implemented to safeguard communities. Moreover, addressing this outbreak necessitates public awareness campaigns to educate families about safe medical practices and the importance of seeking care from qualified healthcare providers.
Editorial published in the Express Tribune on 21th February 2025