The number of people diagnosed with HIV in connection with the Kulsum Bai Valika (KBV) Hospital outbreak in Karachi has climbed to 120, Sindh Labor Minister Saeed Ghani confirmed on Tuesday, announcing that the provincial government will register criminal cases against those found responsible for negligence.
Addressing a press conference at the Sindh Assembly, Ghani revealed that authorities screened more than 10,500 people in Valika Hospital and its surrounding areas, resulting in the HIV-positive diagnosis of 120 individuals. Infected children now receive treatment at five major hospitals across the country.
Of the 120 affected individuals, 81 are registered beneficiaries of the Sindh Employees’ Social Security Institution (SESSI), while the remaining 39, though not covered by the institution, still receive free treatment from the government.
The minister disclosed that an additional screening drive at SESSI’s Landhi Hospital tested around 2,000 people and identified 10 more HIV-positive cases.
He pledged to continue the screening campaign despite the likelihood of uncovering further infections, stressing that early diagnosis remains the most effective tool for controlling the disease’s spread.
Ghani confirmed that all cases identified so far link back to infections acquired before October 2025, and no new outbreak case has surfaced since.
Rejecting allegations of government indifference, the labor minister asserted that the provincial administration acted immediately after the first cases emerged in October last year.
The Health Department’s Communicable Disease Control team began screening residents the very next day, and an inquiry committee was formed within days.
The initial inquiry confirmed HIV infection among 16 children and recorded two deaths. A subsequent report identified 78 confirmed cases and six fatalities.
“Show-cause notices have been issued to 37 doctors and members of staff,” Ghani said, adding that those found guilty would face strict disciplinary and legal consequences.
“Those involved will not only be dismissed from service, but first information reports will also be registered against them, and they will face legal proceedings.”
The Sindh government has established a Rs2 billion endowment fund for the treatment and welfare of infected children, with Ghani assuring that the amount would increase if necessary.
He also vowed to keep the identities of those infected confidential under the Sindh HIV and AIDS Control, Treatment and Protection Act 2013 to shield children and families from social stigma and discrimination.
Responding to questions about medical waste disposal, identified as the primary cause of the outbreak. The minister said clinical waste management operates under the Sindh Hospital Waste Management Rules, but certain individuals refused to comply with prescribed procedures for personal gain.
He confirmed that punitive measures against such elements are underway.
Indus Hospital and Health Network Founder Dr Abdul Bari Khan, speaking alongside the minister, described the prevalence of HIV and hepatitis C in Pakistan as a matter of grave concern and called for coordinated efforts by the government, healthcare institutions, and other stakeholders to reduce case numbers.
Aga Khan University Hospital Associate Chief Medical Officer and infectious disease specialist Dr Faisal Mahmood emphasized that the issue extends beyond a single hospital or locality and urged stricter implementation of infection prevention and control protocols across all healthcare facilities, including private clinics.
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