Sindh’s HIV crisis: Its children at risk

2026-02-05 - 22:56

EVERY number hides a story. In Sindh, thousands of children are living with HIV and new cases continue to emerge every week. Each child is not just a statistic—they are a young life at risk, a family under pressure and a reminder that preventable health crises can shake entire communities. The Pakistan Medical Association’s “high-level alert” is more than a routine note. It is a wake-up call. Unsafe injections, reused syringes and unregulated blood banks are not mere policy gaps—they are real dangers that put children at risk every day. Awareness alone is not enough. What is required is vigilance, enforcement and a system that prioritizes the safety of the most vulnerable. Sindh has faced a similar challenge before. The 2019 outbreak in Larkana’s tehsil Ratodero shocked the nation. Over thirty thousand people were screened and hundreds were found HIV-positive with more than eighty percent of them children under fifteen. Investigations revealed unsafe medical practices—reused needles, inadequate infection control and unchecked clinics—as the main causes. Families shared heartbreaking stories of routine injections turning into sources of infection. It was a stark reminder that negligence in healthcare can have lifelong consequences. Today, new infections are being reported in Karachi and other districts, highlighting that the lessons from Ratodero remain urgent. HIV is preventable. It is manageable, but only with strong systems, careful monitoring and community engagement. Proactive measures today can prevent lifelong suffering for the children of tomorrow. Regulating clinics and blood banks, ensuring proper infection control, expanding testing and making treatment accessible can make a real difference. Healthcare workers need continuous training and families must be aware of how to protect themselves and their children. Transparent monitoring, timely action and community involvement can prevent new infections and restore trust in the healthcare system. Protecting children is not about blame; it is about action, prevention and hope. Every delay risks another child being infected. Every gap in enforcement is a missed opportunity. Sindh does not need another inquiry. It needs urgency, accountability and compassion. When preventive measures are followed and healthcare is safe, children can thrive. When they are ignored, preventable disease becomes a lifelong burden. The choice is ours—action or negligence. Let us ensure that the next story of a child with HIV is one of prevention, care and hope—not tragedy. —The writer is an Islamabad-based broadcast journalist. (miranimuslim@gmail.com)