Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal has directed authorities to make HIV screening mandatory before all surgical procedures involving skin piercing or incisions across Pakistan, seeking to prevent healthcare-associated transmission and ensure uniform safety standards nationwide.
He issued the directive while chairing a meeting of the Joint Working Group on HIV/AIDS at the Ministry of National Health Services.
The minister instructed health authorities in Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan to issue the necessary notifications to enforce pre-surgical HIV screening.
Officials informed the meeting that Sindh, Punjab and the Islamabad Capital Territory had already introduced HIV screening before surgical procedures involving skin piercing. Mr Kamal stressed the need for a uniform policy and implementation mechanism across the country.
He also called for greater focus on children living with HIV, saying their care should go beyond medical treatment and include nutritional, psychosocial and welfare support to improve their quality of life and treatment outcomes.
The minister further directed that provincial healthcare commissions be invited to the next meeting to review infection prevention and control measures.
