Pakistan’s hidden health crisis: Children contract HIV after routine hospital care
Families in Pakistan are reporting that their children contracted HIV during routine hospital visits, allegedly due to the reuse of needles and syringes. These incidents have sparked calls for stricter medical safety standards and government investigations into infection-control practices.
Why it matters
The situation highlights critical failures in healthcare infrastructure and safety protocols in developing regions, leading to severe public health consequences.
A routine visit to a hospital has turned into a life-changing ordeal for dozens of families in Pakistan, with parents alleging that their children contracted HIV while receiving medical care.The children were reportedly being treated for ordinary illnesses or undergoing routine procedures when, weeks or months later, they were found to be HIV positive, according to NPR. Their families say they had no other known explanation for how the children could have contracted the virus.Parents interviewed by NPR have pointed to poor infection-control practices at healthcare facilities, particularly the alleged reuse of syringes and needles during injections and intravenous (IV) treatment. They believe such practices may have exposed their children to HIV.The reported cases have brought devastating consequences for affected families.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in