Islamabad: Men accounted for 8,386 of the 14,182 HIV cases reported in Pakistan in 2025, representing about 59 percent of all infections, while women accounted for 3,314 cases, around 23 percent, according to official data, highlighting a clear gender distribution alongside a widening spread of the virus across the country.
The data shows that HIV transmission remained steady throughout the year, with an average of 1,182 cases reported every month, indicating that the epidemic is no longer episodic but persistent.
Monthly figures ranged from 1,016 cases in March to a peak of 1,443 in July. September recorded 1,380 cases and October 1,336, reflecting continued spread alongside periods of increased testing and surveillance.
A detailed month-wise pattern shows January recorded around 1,145 cases, February 1,082, March 1,016, April 1,109, May 1,189 and June about 1,254 cases, followed by a surge in the second half of the year.
In July, 1,443 cases were reported, followed by August with around 1,273 cases, September 1,380, October 1,336, November approximately 1,212 and December close to 1,243 cases.
The provincial distribution reveals a heavy concentration of infections in a few regions. Punjab reported 7,920 cases, accounting for more than half of the national burden, followed by Sindh with 3,859 cases and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with 1,383 cases.
The Islamabad Capital Territory recorded 498 cases, while Balochistan reported 472 infections. Smaller regions such as Azad Jammu and Kashmir reported 43 cases and Gilgit-Baltistan only 7, though officials said limited testing and weaker surveillance systems may be obscuring the actual scale of infections in these areas.
Health ministry officials said the concentration of cases in Punjab and Sindh reflects both population size and better detection, but also points to entrenched transmission patterns in densely populated districts where unsafe medical practices and behavioural risks remain common.
The demographic profile suggests that the epidemic is expanding beyond traditional high risk groups. In addition to adult men and women, the dataset recorded 734 cases among transgender individuals, accounting for just over 5 percent of infections, a group considered particularly vulnerable due to social and structural barriers to healthcare.
A significant concern remains the burden of infection among children. The data shows 1,748 paediatric cases, including 1,065 boys and 683 girls, pointing to transmission through unsafe medical procedures rather than conventional behavioural risks.
Officials linked paediatric infections primarily to reuse of syringes, contaminated equipment, weak infection prevention practices and unsafe blood transfusions, issues that have repeatedly surfaced in past outbreaks but remain inadequately addressed.
While urban centres account for a large share of reported infections due to greater access to testing, officials said the presence of cases in smaller towns and rural areas suggests silent transmission in under-served settings where awareness is low and healthcare regulation is weak.
They acknowledged that expanded screening has improved detection, but warned that the steady monthly average of more than 1,182 cases highlights systemic gaps in prevention, including poor oversight of private healthcare providers and continued unsafe injection practices.
Officials said the data also reinforces concerns that HIV is no longer confined to high risk populations, with increasing infections among women, children and the broader population complicating efforts to contain the disease.
In comparison, officials indicated that around 13,000 HIV cases were reported in 2024, suggesting that the 2025 figures reflect a continuing upward trend rather than a stabilisation of the epidemic.
They emphasised that controlling the spread will require stricter enforcement of infection control protocols, improved regulation of healthcare practices, expansion of screening and targeted awareness campaigns, particularly in high burden districts.
Officials also stressed the need for timely sharing of detailed data between federal and provincial authorities, noting that gaps in coordination continue to limit the effectiveness of response efforts.
Without sustained intervention, they warned, the current trajectory of HIV infections is likely to continue, placing further strain on the country’s already fragile health system.
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