Sindh has reported 894 new HIV cases in the first three months of 2026, a rise that has raised serious public health concerns and highlighted ongoing gaps in infection prevention and control across the province, reported 24NewsHD TV channel on Tuesday.
The newly reported cases comprise 329 children under the age of 14, 332 men, 204 women, and 29 transgender individuals.
Health experts warn that the rising numbers reflect systemic weaknesses in healthcare safety and regulatory oversight, particularly in major urban centres such as Karachi.
A month-wise breakdown of cases shows that 294 new HIV infections were recorded in January 2026, followed by 324 in February and 276 in March, underscoring the continued spread of the virus across the province.
Seven years after the devastating HIV outbreak in Ratodero in April 2019, which infected hundreds of children and exposed unsafe medical practices, experts say the persistence of new infections indicates that critical deficiencies in the healthcare system remain largely unaddressed.
Public health specialists attribute the continued spread of HIV primarily to poor infection prevention and control measures.
These include the reuse of intravenous drips, used cannulas and syringes, unsterilised medical equipment, and the transfusion of unscreened blood the practices that continue to endanger patients, particularly children.
Of the 329 children diagnosed with HIV between January and March this year, 188 were boys, and 141 were girls under the age of 14.
Experts warn that the disproportionately high number of paediatric cases indicates systemic lapses in healthcare safety and infection prevention.
Public health experts caution that unless strict infection control protocols are enforced and unsafe medical practices eliminated, Sindh may continue to witness recurring outbreaks similar to the Ratodero tragedy.
Reporter: Babar Shehzad Turk