KARACHI, Sindh: Six children affected by the Valika Hospital HIV outbreak have died. Meanwhile, 78 children remain in the provincial government’s confirmed dataset, Sindh minister Saeed Ghani said Tuesday.
Ghani said authorities had screened 10,500 people in areas surrounding the Sindh Employees’ Social Security Institution-run hospital. Of those tested, 120 were HIV-positive, but officials had not established that every infection originated at the facility.
Separate reports based on hospital records have placed the number of affected children at 80. Ghani said the official count could increase as investigators review additional cases.
The government developed a standardised patient-information form with public- and private-sector medical experts. Investigators will use the data to determine the outbreak’s source, scale and possible transmission period.
Ghani said show-cause notices had been issued to 10 people. He added that 37 employees named in a second inquiry report had been suspended. The second report was submitted on June 19 under the Provincial Ombudsman’s directions.
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Earlier disciplinary reports documented actions against doctors, nurses and administrative staff following an inquiry. That inquiry identified weak infection-control systems and possible reuse of disposable medical equipment. The precise transmission route remains under investigation.
The Sindh High Court has sought a comprehensive explanation from the provincial government. This follows allegations of contaminated syringe reuse and medical negligence at the hospital.
Ghani said treatment had continued throughout the investigation, and officials were protecting patients’ identities. In addition, SESSI has approved a Rs2 billion endowment fund for long-term treatment and welfare support for the affected children and their families.
