84 patients have been diagnosed with HIV after being unknowingly injected with reused syringes at a government hospital in Karachi, local media reported.
The incident occurred at Walika Hospital, where patients who visited last year for treatment of various illnesses were given injections with contaminated syringes.
According to federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal, once the hospital authorities became aware of the incident, the affected patients were traced and referred to different hospitals for treatment.
“Due to the use of faulty syringes at Walika Hospital, 84 individuals contracted HIV,” Kamal said. “As soon as this came to light, the DG Health was informed, and the patients were tested and are now receiving proper medication.”
Unsafe medical practices, particularly the reuse of syringes, have long contributed to the ongoing HIV epidemic in Sindh province.
The crisis gained global attention following a 2019 outbreak in Ratodero, which primarily affected children and exposed systemic failures in healthcare regulation and the widespread presence of unqualified medical practitioners.
Last October, Health Minister Dr. Azra Pechuho warned that HIV spread in Sindh had reached an “extremely alarming” level, with 3,995 registered HIV-positive children in the province. During a high-level meeting on the issue, officials revealed that over 600,000 unlicensed medical practitioners operate across Sindh, with 40% located in Karachi.
