KARACHI: Sindh Health Minister Dr Azra Pechuho was briefed on Tuesday that the spread of HIV in Sindh has reached an extremely alarming level, with 3,995 registered HIV-positive children across the province.
During a high-level meeting on the surge in HIV cases, officials informed the minister that over 600,000 quacks are operating in Sindh , 40 percent of them based in Karachi.
Officials identified several major causes behind the rising infections, including unregulated and unethical medical practices, unsafe blood transfusions, illegal and unregistered clinics, repackaging and reuse of syringes, contaminated injections, reused razors by barbers, sale of hospital waste, unscreened blood, and unsafe dental procedures.
Dr Pechuho issued strict directives to all SSPs and deputy commissioners to immediately shut down illegal health facilities and take decisive action against quackery and unsafe medical practices. She also ordered mandatory screening of pregnant women to prevent mother-to-child HIV transmission.
The minister directed the Sindh Healthcare Commission (SHCC) and police to ensure that sealed healthcare units remain closed, and instructed authorities to halt the sale of hospital waste. She further ordered the issuance of a complete list of licensed blood banks, with unregistered ones to be closed immediately.
Warning of the deadly risks posed by compromised blood screening, unhygienic dental procedures, and unsafe circumcision practices, Dr Pechuho said that children particularly garbage pickers—face severe exposure risks due to infected waste.
She emphasized that drug users and other vulnerable groups must be treated with care and awareness, not harassment, as they are patients in need of medical protection, not punishment.
Dr Pechuho also directed the SHCC to strengthen district-level monitoring and warned that any attempt to unseal facilities involved in illegal medical practices will not be tolerated.
