Karachi: Two more HIV-infected children have died in Pathan Colony of SITE Town, taking the number of child deaths linked to the emerging HIV cluster in the neighbourhood to four this month, local representatives told VitalsNews on Sunday.
The fresh fatalities have deepened concerns that unsafe medical practices at Kulsoom Bai Valika Hospital triggered a preventable outbreak that continues to claim young lives.
Irshad Khan, Vice Chairman of UC-1 Pathan Colony and chairman of the SITE Town health committee, said a 10-month-old boy and a 17-month-old boy died during the past week.
Earlier in the month, two HIV-positive girls from the same locality had passed away. “Four children have died in one month. All of them were infected with HIV here in Pathan Colony,” Irshad said.
He said at least twelve children and one woman have recently tested positive for HIV in the area, all of whom had received treatment at Kulsoom Bai Valika Hospital, a labour department facility repeatedly criticised for poor hygiene, staff shortages and unsafe injection practices.
“Parents were told the same infected syringe was reused on several children during an infusion. That is how these innocent children got infected,” Irshad claimed.
For weeks, Pathan Colony residents have been reporting concerns about substandard procedures at Valika Hospital, including allegations of reused syringes, IV lines handled without sterilisation and unsupervised paramedical staff performing invasive procedures.
Families said their warnings went unheeded even after the first few cases emerged, allowing the outbreak to spread among infants and toddlers.
Irshad accused both Valika Hospital and CDC-1, the provincial HIV treatment centre, of withholding information from parents and elected representatives.
“They are hiding details and refusing to cooperate. Families want to know who is infected, what treatment is being provided, and whether more children might be at risk,” he said.
Residents said fear was growing rapidly across the neighbourhood as more families sought testing for their children. Some parents said they had received no outreach or counselling from health officials, despite repeated community appeals.
Pathan Colony has long struggled with weak healthcare oversight, and local leaders say the area has been neglected by multiple authorities. Earlier reports from the locality documented concerns about unhygienic blood-drawing practices, reused cannulas and poor infection control at Valika Hospital issues that echo past incidents seen elsewhere in Sindh, including Ratodero.
Despite repeated attempts by VitalsNews, the Medical Superintendent of Kulsoom Bai Valika Hospital refused to respond to calls or queries seeking the hospital’s version.
Irshad said the four deaths and growing number of new infections demand an immediate and independent investigation. “This is not an accident. These children died because someone did not follow basic medical safety. Twelve children and a woman are infected, four children have already died, we cannot allow this to continue,” he said.
Local representatives have urged the Sindh health department to carry out household-level screening in Pathan Colony, audit hospital practices, and take action against those responsible.
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