Sindh orders reviews and screenings after HIV outbreak at Valika Hospital

120 living near Karachi's Valika Hospital test positive in HIV screening

• Minister Ghani says govt tested 10,500 residents following emergence of HIV cases at health facility in SITE in Oct 2025• Says 2,000 tested at SESSI-run hospital in Landhi, 10 of whom were found infected with virus• Vows not to suspend screening drive due to fear of more cases emerging• Announces body of leading medical experts for long-term treatment, welfare of 78 infected children KARACHI: Following the HIV outbreak at the Sindh Employees Social Security Institution (SESSI)-run Valika Hospital, more than 10,500 people living in the vicinity of the health facility in SITE have been screened since October 2025 and 120 of them tested positive for the contagious disease. Speaking at a press conference here on Tuesday, Sindh Labour Minister Saeed Ghani said a separate screening drive was conducted at another SESSI-run hospital in Landhi, where 2,000 people were tested and 10 of them found infected with HIV. Accompanied by Indus Hospital Chief Executive Dr Abdul Bari and Aga Khan University Hospital’s Dr Faisal Mehmood, the minister shared the findings of two inquiries into the HIV outbreak at Valika Hospital, stating that the second inquiry report, submitted to the provincial ombudsman on June 19, 2026 confirmed 78 HIV-positive children and six deaths. He said that the screening campaign was launched by the health department’s Communicable Disease Control (CDC) unit a day after receiving a letter from Valika Hospital on Oct 22, 2025. He said that the 120 individuals tested HIV positive were being treated at government expense. He stressed that screening would not be halted despite the rising numbers. “We will not suspend screening out of fear that more cases may emerge. The government will take full responsibility for all newly identified patients,” he said. The minister said a dedicated data collection form had also been introduced to gather further evidence while ensuring that all investigations were conducted discreetly to minimise the social impact on affected families. ‘Affected children being treated at five leading hospitals’ Ghani said the 78 confirmed cases had been verified through direct contact with the victims’ families, although the overall number of positive cases could ultimately be higher. He said that all affected children were receiving treatment at five leading institutions, including Indus Hospital, AKUH and Dow University of Health Sciences. He announced that a standing committee of leading medical experts would be constituted to supervise both treatment strategy and management of a Rs2 billion endowment fund set up for the affected children’s long-term treatment. “This is a long-term disease and requires a long-term solution,” he said, adding that from the outset, the provincial government pledged that it would not abandon the victims or their families. He added that the endowment fund could be expanded if required. He also acknowledged shortcomings in the disposal of medical waste, saying that although a proper disposal mechanism existed, some individuals ignored established protocols for personal gain. “Action against those responsible was also under way,” he said. Citing the Sindh HIV Control Act of 2006 that mandated confidentiality of patients’ identities to protect families from stigma, he criticised what he called the sensationalising of the issue by some political and social figures in a manner that compromised the privacy of affected families. Accountability ensured Ghani said that strict action would be taken against those found negligent, including dismissals, FIRs and imprisonment. When asked about his own responsibility, the minister said he had accepted indirect responsibility. “If my resignation could resolve the issue, I have no objection,” he remarked. He clarified that all hospital-linked infections predated October 2025 and that no new case originating at Valika Hospital had been reported since. “Screening continues in both hospitals and surrounding communities,” he added. Speaking on the occasion, Dr Faisal Mahmood of AKUH said that the problem was not limited to one locality, with cases emerging from other areas and infection-control lapses noted at some private clinics. He claimed that most of the HIV patients had the history of visiting the private clinics in their areas. Dr Bari of the Indus Hospital said that Pakistan continues to face a high burden of HIV and Hepatitis C, and called for joint efforts by the government and healthcare institutions to address it. He said that the use of new syringes in clinics and hospitals would have to be ensured to contain the infectious diseases. Published in Dawn, July 15th, 2026

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Safety lapses at govt hospital linked to HIV cases, Sindh CM told

• Minister Ghani briefs Murad about findings of two inquiries conducted in 2025 and 2026 on outbreak at Valika Hospital• Labour dept told to ensure accountability, uninterrupted treatment and long-term rehabilitation of affected children• CM orders Sindh-wide review of infection-control practices to ensure strict compliance of sterilisation, waste management and patient-safety protocols KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah was informed on Monday that two inquiries conducted into the HIV outbreak at the Sindh Employees Social Security Institution (SESSI)-run Valika Hospital found several lapses, including non-adherence to infection-prevention protocols by healthcare staff, non-compliance with personal protective equipment requirements and mishandling of single-use syringes. The CM, who held a meeting with senior government officials to take stock of the HIV cases detected at Valika Hospital, ordered a province-wide review of infection-control practices in all SESSI healthcare facilities. He was informed that 78 children have so far been identified as HIV positive, while disciplinary proceedings have been initiated against dozens of officials and healthcare workers following multiple inquiries into the outbreak. The CM directed the Labour Department to ensure strict accountability, uninterrupted treatment and long-term rehabilitation of the affected children, declaring that negligence in healthcare delivery would not be tolerated under any circumstances. According to a press statement, the chief minister was briefed by Labour Minister Saeed Ghani that the matter first surfaced after six HIV-positive cases were reported on October 23, 2025. Subsequently, the Labour Department ordered an inquiry, and SESSI constituted a committee headed by its medical adviser to investigate the matter. The inquiry committee inspected the hospital, particularly the Paediatrics Department and laboratory facilities, and submitted its report on November 6, 2025. The report identified 16 HIV-positive children, all linked to the Paediatrics Department, and highlighted serious administrative, procedural and infection-control failures. Lack of SOPs, improper handling of single-use syringes The labour minister informed the meeting that the inquiry uncovered the absence of standard operating procedures (SOPs), inadequate supervision of sterilisation practices, improper biomedical waste disposal, shortage of biohazard containers, weak inventory controls, insufficient supply of disposable medical items, poor documentation, inadequate HIV testing facilities and failure to conduct structured follow-up of HIV-positive patients and their families. The committee also noted instances where single-use medical equipment, including syringes, may have been improperly handled, while healthcare staff were not consistently adhering to infection-prevention protocols and personal protective equipment requirements. The chief minister was further informed that concerns over the outbreak intensified after complaints were received from affected families and the SITE Association of Trade and Industry, which alleged serious lapses in infection-control practices at the hospital. Following the inquiry, SESSI initiated a series of corrective measures, including the establishment of an Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART) Centre at Valika Hospital, Mr Ghani said, adding that the ART Centre was established on Nov 15, 2025 and became fully operational on November 24, 2025, after specialised training was conducted by the Communicable Disease Control (CDC) programme of the Sindh Health Department. The meeting was told that HIV prevention protocols and standard operating procedures were subsequently developed and circulated to all SESSI healthcare facilities across Sindh. Screening of more than 300 doctors and paramedical staff was also conducted, resulting in the identification of two HIV-positive employees, whose family members later tested negative. The chief minister was informed that disciplinary proceedings were initiated against the then medical superintendent and nine other officers and officials in December 2025. Following unsatisfactory responses to show-cause notices, further action was taken in February 2026. The meeting was informed that the Sindh ombudsman took suo motu notice of the matter and issued several directives, including the transfer of the then medical superintendent, establishment of a dedicated isolation ward, a comprehensive inquiry, a third-party audit of hospital operations and provision of the best available treatment to all affected children at government expense. In compliance with these directions, an isolation ward for HIV-positive children was established, routine HIV screening was initiated for all OPD and admitted patients, and a special audit was ordered to examine procurement, inventory management and budget utilisation. Second inquiry The chief minister was informed that a second comprehensive inquiry committee, headed by Chief Medical Officer Dr Naila Zaheer, submitted its report on June 19, 2026. The committee fixed responsibility on a number of officers and officials for administrative, supervisory and operational lapses and recommended major and minor penalties. As a result, 37 officers and officials, including former and serving administrators, doctors, nurses, laboratory personnel and support staff, have been suspended. Show-cause notices were issued to all of them on July 3, with directions to submit their replies within 14 days. The meeting was also informed that a constitutional petition concerning the matter is currently pending before the Sindh High Court, while comments have been sought from the authorities. Minister Ghani told the chief minister that renowned paediatric infectious disease specialist Prof Dr Fatima Mir of Aga Khan University Hospital has been engaged to provide specialised consultation and treatment for HIV-positive children suffering from associated infections. Families of affected children are also being contacted and linked with treatment centres to ensure continuity of care. The CM was told that a Rs2 billion endowment fund to support the treatment, welfare, rehabilitation and long-term care of HIV-positive children and their families had been created. Speaking on the occasion, the CM expressed deep concern over the findings of the inquiries and emphasised that the government would pursue complete accountability wherever negligence or misconduct was established. “The lives of children are sacred. Any lapse in medical protocols that endangers patients is unacceptable and will be dealt with strictly in accordance with the law,” the chief minister said. He directed the labour and health departments and SESSI administration to ensure that all affected children receive uninterrupted treatment, medicines, diagnostic services and follow-up care free of cost. “Our foremost responsibility is to stand with the affected children and their families. Every child must receive the best available treatment, counselling and rehabilitation support without financial burden,” he said. Review of infection-control practices ordered The chief minister ordered a province-wide review of infection-control practices in all SESSI healthcare facilities and directed that strict compliance with sterilisation, waste management and patient-safety protocols be ensured. “This incident must serve as a turning point for strengthening patient safety standards across our healthcare system. Preventive mechanisms, monitoring systems and accountability frameworks must be institutionalised to ensure such an incident never occurs again,” he directed. CM Shah further instructed authorities to complete departmental proceedings against responsible officials on merit and without delay, finalise the third-party audit, strengthen surveillance mechanisms, and submit periodic progress reports on treatment, rehabilitation and institutional reforms. The meeting concluded with a resolve to continue comprehensive medical, social and financial support for affected families while implementing systemic reforms aimed at improving healthcare quality, infection prevention and patient safety across all SESSI hospitals and health facilities. The meeting was also attended by Chief Secretary Sindh Asif Hyder Shah, Secretary to Chief Minister Asif Jameel, Labour Secretary Sajid Jamal Abro, Health Secretary Tahir Sangi and other senior officials. Published in Dawn, July 14th, 2026

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