Islamabad, May 9: In Pakistan, over 20,000 registered HIV patients have gone “missing” after starting antiretroviral therapy, raising concerns about the potential spread of the infection. This alarming situation affects a total of 84,000 registered individuals living with HIV in the country.
According to an editorial in the prominent daily, The Express Tribune, Pakistan has emerged as one of the fastest-growing hotspots for the HIV epidemic in the Eastern Mediterranean region, which includes 22 countries across West Asia, North Africa, the Horn of Africa, and Central Asia.
The report highlights a staggering 200% increase in new infections over the past 15 years, with cases rising from 16,000 in 2010 to 48,000 in 2024.
Even more concerning is that awareness campaigns and harm reduction strategies have failed to yield meaningful results. The registered 84,000 individuals represent only a small fraction of an estimated 369,000 people living with HIV nationwide. This makes it increasingly difficult to identify those in “high-risk” groups due to a lack of treatment for the larger population.
The Express Tribune notes that while unsafe sexual practices and the use of shared needles remain the primary drivers of infection, other medical pathways, such as unsafe injection practices, unsterilized blood transfusions, and unregulated medical practices, are also contributing to the spread of the virus among children and partners.
Children are among the most affected groups. The number of new infections in the 0-14 age group has surged from 530 in 2010 to 1,800 in 2023. The report states that hotspots like Larkana, Taunsa, and Hyderabad have seen over 80% of newly identified cases among children. Despite the ongoing spread of infections, reused syringes are still available in the market, and blood bank regulations are not being properly enforced.
The National AIDS Control Program, which heavily relies on external assistance, is now grappling with severe “funding and staffing shortages.” Even the $800,000 worth of donations has reportedly been misappropriated by corrupt local officials.
A recent report indicates that the rapid increase in HIV cases in Pakistan is not merely a gradual public health concern but rather a systemic failure that is unfolding in real-time. It details how children and low-risk individuals are contracting HIV not due to their behavior but because of a healthcare system that is supposed to protect them.
An editorial in another leading daily, Dawn, states that two types of failures are at play in this situation. It notes, “The first failure is the complete breakdown of basic infection control measures in a large part of our healthcare network. The second failure is the continued reuse of syringes, despite a nationwide ban on traditional disposable syringes implemented in 2021. Together, these failures have created a situation that experts describe as a ‘man-made epidemic,’ with evidence that is deeply concerning.”
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