Pakistan is facing one of the fastest-growing HIV epidemics in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region, with new cases rising sharply from 16,000 new infections in 2010 to 48,000 in 2024. This alarming trend was highlighted during a walk organized by the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNAIDS to mark World AIDS Day.
Health experts said the virus, once limited to only high-risk groups, is now spreading to children, spouses, and the wider community. Unsafe blood transfusions, unsterile injections, weak infection-control practices, limited HIV testing for pregnant women, and continued social stigma are driving the situation.
Under the theme “Overcoming disruption, transforming the AIDS response”, WHO, UNAIDS, and Pakistan’s Ministry of Health joined hands to raise awareness.
Director General Health, Dr. Ayesha Isani, urged the communities, clinicians, and regulators to work together. She said, “We need everyone involved to end unsafe practices for injections and blood transfusions, and give the children and the adults of Pakistan the healthy future they deserve.”
According to estimates, around 350,000 people are living with HIV in Pakistan today, yet eight out of ten do not know their status. Children are increasingly affected, with reported infections in the 0–14 age group climbing from 530 in 2010 to 1,800 in 2023.
Pakistan has managed to expand antiretroviral therapy (ART) access over the last decade, increasing the number of people on treatment from 6,500 in 2013 to 55,500 in 2024. ART centers have also grown from 13 in 2010 to 95 in 2025.
However, WHO noted that the gaps remain wide as only 21% of people with HIV know their status, 16% are on treatment, and just 7% have achieved viral suppression. More than 1,100 AIDS-related deaths were reported this year.
WHO Representative Dr Luo Dapeng called recent outbreaks among children “a stark reminder” of the need for urgent action. Many outbreaks in Sindh and Punjab, including in Shaheed Benazirabad, Hyderabad, Naushahro Feroze, Mirpur Khas, Jacobabad, and Larkana, were linked to unsafe injections and contaminated blood. In several areas, over 80 per cent of cases detected were children.
UNAIDS Country Director Trouble Chikoko warned that Pakistan cannot end AIDS without increased funding and stronger prevention programs, especially for women, children, and key populations.
Mother-to-child transmission also remains a critical concern. Only 14% of pregnant women receive treatment to prevent transmission to their babies, leaving thousands vulnerable. Among infected children, just 38% are on treatment.