What began as routine hospital visits has turned into a devastating ordeal for dozens of families across Pakistan, with parents alleging their children contracted HIV while receiving basic medical care.
According to NPR, the children were being treated for common illnesses or undergoing standard procedures when, weeks or months later, they tested HIV positive. Families say they have no other explanation for how the children could have been infected.
Parents interviewed by NPR point to poor infection-control practices at healthcare facilities, particularly the alleged reuse of syringes and needles during injections and IV treatment as the likely source of exposure.
The consequences have been severe: at least six children have died, while others now face lifelong treatment and monitoring following their diagnosis. HIV has no cure and weakens the immune system over time, though antiretroviral therapy can help manage the virus and extend quality of life. For affected families, the diagnosis has brought added strain — the cost of medication, repeated hospital visits, and fear of social stigma.
Many parents are now demanding answers from the healthcare system, calling for an investigation into how children with no known risk factors became infected and whether basic safety standards were violated.
The allegations have drawn scrutiny to infection-control practices at some Pakistani hospitals, with families and rights advocates pushing for formal investigations, stronger hospital oversight, and stricter protocols around the handling and reuse of medical equipment.
