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. At least six children have died, while others face a lifetime of treatment and medical monitoring after being diagnosed with the virus.HIV weakens the immune system and currently has no cure, but antiretroviral treatment can control the virus and help people live longer, healthier lives. For families in the affected communities, however, the diagnosis has brought additional financial and social pressures, including the cost of medicines and repeated hospital visits and fears of stigma.Many parents are now seeking answers from the healthcare system. They want authorities to investigate how children with no apparent risk factors came to be infected and whether lapses in basic medical safety standards played a role.The allegations have also put a spotlight on infection-control practices at some Pakistani healthcare facilities. Families and rights advocates are calling for investigations, greater monitoring of hospitals and stricter safeguards around the use of medical equipment.You use AI every day. Now get your AI Quotient. Take the AIQ test.