Pakistan’s hidden health crisis: Children contract HIV after routine hospital care

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.