Rising HIV/AIDS Cases in Pakistan: National Assembly Committee Criticizes Ministry Report

Summary

The National Assembly Standing Committee on Health, chaired by Mahesh Kumar Malani, expressed serious concern over the Ministry of Health’s report on HIV/AIDS cases in Pakistan.

Committee member Dr. Shazia Subaiea criticized the report as incomplete and misleading, noting that many cases across provinces, including 40,000 in KP (2025), 300 in Islamabad, and 7,000–8,000 in Balochistan, were omitted. She warned that presenting such a report to international organizations would damage the country’s credibility.

Mustafa Kamal acknowledged the challenges, stating that the situation cannot be resolved quickly and that estimates suggest around 300,000 HIV patients in the country.

The federal minister explained that the Global Fund allocates 25% of funds to the government and 75% to NGOs, and emphasized ongoing screening through border health services, highlighting issues like disease transmission among children in Sindh due to reused syringes.

Key Points

• Committee: National Assembly Standing Committee on Health
• Chairperson: Mahesh Kumar Malani
• Report Criticism: Ministry of Health’s HIV/AIDS report incomplete
• Underreported Cases:
• KP (2025): 40,000 patients
• Islamabad: 300 cases
• Balochistan: 7,000–8,000 patients
• Total Reported in Ministry Report: 81,000
• Estimated Actual Cases: ~300,000
• Funding: Global Fund – 25% to government, 75% to NGOs
• Other Concerns: Screening at borders; children infected in Sindh due to unsafe syringes

Detailed Article

Islamabad: The National Assembly Standing Committee on Health, chaired by Mahesh Kumar Malani, held a meeting to review the Ministry of Health’s report on HIV/AIDS in Pakistan. Committee member Dr. Shazia Subaiea expressed sharp criticism, saying that the report was grossly incomplete and misleading, and warned that submitting such a report to international organizations could damage Pakistan’s credibility.

Dr. Shazia highlighted that numerous cases across provinces were omitted: 40,000 cases in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (2025), 300 in Islamabad, and 7,000–8,000 in Balochistan were not mentioned, despite a total of 81,000 patients being reported in the ministry’s document. She emphasized that such underreporting undermines national efforts and misrepresents the epidemic’s scope.

Mustafa Kamal, another committee member, acknowledged the complexity of the issue, noting that the situation could not be resolved overnight and that estimates suggest approximately 300,000 HIV patients nationwide.

The federal minister further explained that the Global Fund allocates 25% of its funding to the government and 75% to NGOs, and additional cases are likely to be identified in ongoing screening, particularly at border health services. He also pointed out specific incidents, such as children in Sindh being infected due to improper use of syringes, highlighting systemic challenges in containment and prevention.

The committee stressed the urgency of accurate reporting and comprehensive monitoring to effectively tackle the HIV/AIDS epidemic and to ensure Pakistan’s credibility in global health forums.