Valika Hospital | Pakistan

• Tally rises to 94 as Sindh govt had earlier confirmed 78 cases at Valika Hospital • Ombudsman orders comprehensive audit of hospital’s affairs KARACHI: Sindh Ombudsman Mohammad Sohail Rajput was informed on Tuesday that 16 more children were infected with HIV/AIDs at the Sindh Employees Social Security Institution (SESSI)-run Kulsoom Bai Valika Hospital. The ombudsman was hearing a case pertaining to an HIV outbreak at Valika Hospital, where the provincial government confirmed that 78 children had been infected with the infectious disease so far. During the hearing, Adviser to Ombudsman Haani Jamal Khan presented a report on the outbreak, which showed that 16 more children had been diagnosed with HIV/AIDS, while concerns remained high that more cases might emerge. The fresh findings brought the total number of HIV-infected children to 94. Parents and families of the affected children, who were also present during the hearing, expressed serious grievances regarding the alleged lack of cooperation by the hosp...

• Team inspects health facility following emergence of HIV cases among 78 children • Detects syringe needles manually removed and not disposed of in sharps bins • Observes medical waste was not being segregated and disposed of according to infection prevention and control guidelines KARACHI: The Sindh Healthcare Commission has found that at Valika Hospital, needles were manually removed from syringes after use and were not found in sharps bins. “This raised serious concerns about the hospital’s medical waste management practices, as it was unclear where the removed needles had gone or how they had been disposed of,” the healthcare commission said in a statement issued here on Friday. A team of the healthcare commission, which conducted a visit of the hospital to review progress on its recommendations, observed that the technical staff could not explain where the needles were disposed of or whether any other method of disposal was being used. The Sindh Employees Social Security Institution (SESSI)-run Valika H...

• Minister Ghani says govt tested 10,500 residents following emergence of HIV cases at health facility in SITE in Oct 2025 • Says 2,000 tested at SESSI-run hospital in Landhi, 10 of whom were found infected with virus • Vows not to suspend screening drive due to fear of more cases emerging • Announces body of leading medical experts for long-term treatment, welfare of 78 infected children KARACHI: Following the HIV outbreak at the Sindh Employees Social Security Institution (SESSI)-run Valika Hospital, more than 10,500 people living in the vicinity of the health facility in SITE have been screened since October 2025 and 120 of them tested positive for the contagious disease. Speaking at a press conference here on Tuesday, Sindh Labour Minister Saeed Ghani said a separate screening drive was conducted at another SESSI-run hospital in Landhi, where 2,000 people were tested and 10 of them found infected with HIV. Accompanied by Indus Hospital Chief Executive Dr Abdul Bari and Aga Khan University Hospital’s Dr Fa...

• SESSI approves creation of endowment fund for rehabilitation and welfare of 78 children • Okays departmental action against 37 doctors and paramedical staff of its health facility KARACHI: Days after the government confirmed that as many as 78 children had been infected with HIV/AIDS at the Sindh Employees’ Social Security Institution-run Kulsoom Bai Valika Hospital, the institution has allocated a sum of Rs2 billion to set up an endowment fund to provide long-term medical treatment and welfare support for the affected children, it emerged on Wednesday. Contrary to a claim made by a petitioner before the Sindh High Court that the number of affected children was 200, Sindh Labour Minister Saeed Ghani had confirmed over the weekend that the government had data of 78 children who were infected with HIV/AIDS at Valika Hospital. He had also assured the parents of the affected children of their complete medical treatment and promised every possible support. On Wednesday, Ghani chaired the meeting of the Governing...

Labour Minister Saeed Ghani.—Dawn KARACHI: Confirming that at least 78 children had been infected with HIV/AIDS at Valika Hospital, Sindh Labour Minister Saeed Ghani has promised that the government will investigate the matter thoroughly and take strict action against all those, whether doctors, officers or paramedical staff, found responsible. Last week, the Sindh High Court had given the provincial government two weeks to explain HIV outbreak at Kulsoom Bai Valika Hospital — a Sindh Employees’ Social Security Institution (SESSI) facility being run under the labour department — in the SITE area. Petitioner Tariq Mansoor had filed a preliminary list of children infected with HIV/AIDS due to alleged reuse of contaminated syringes and asked the SHC to order an independent inquiry, registration of a case and lifelong medical treatment, as well as appropriate compensation, for the affected children. Talking to the media after attending a programme organised by the Karachi Film School on Saturday evening, Minister...