Karachi Neighborhood Battles Surging HIV Cases Among Young Patients

A concerning HIV outbreak has emerged in the densely-populated SITE Town neighborhood of Karachi, where over 15 children as young as one year old have been diagnosed with the virus in recent weeks. The crisis centers around the Valika Hospital, where the affected children had previously received treatment for various health issues.

The situation came to light when an 18-month-old girl fell ill in August 2025 and was admitted to the Valika Hospital. After her condition did not improve, she was taken to a private hospital, where she was diagnosed with HIV. This prompted an investigation by a committee of local political leaders, who have been pressing the hospital to screen all children treated there since August.

The committee's efforts have uncovered at least 18 HIV-positive children aged 1 to 9 years old, but they believe the true scale of the outbreak could be much larger. Despite the severity of the situation, the hospital administration and health authorities are accused of lacking urgency in addressing the crisis. Local leaders claim they have witnessed concerning practices, such as the reuse of syringes, that may have contributed to the spread of the virus.

The government has acknowledged the issue, stating that an anti-retroviral therapy center has been set up at the Valika Hospital and that a "comprehensive approach" is being taken to tackle HIV/AIDS in the area. However, the community remains deeply concerned about the potential for the outbreak to grow, as hundreds of children in the impoverished neighborhood may have been exposed.