Pakistan Reports Alarming Rise in Children Living with HIV, NA Told

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has reported a concerning number of children living with HIV, with Sindh recording the highest number of cases, according to figures presented by the Ministry of National Health Services in the National Assembly.

The ministry submitted province-wise statistics in response to a question raised by Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) MNA Dr Sharmila Faruqui.

The figures show that 3,900 children in Sindh are living with HIV, followed by 1,765 in Punjab and 139 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Balochistan has reported 46 cases, Islamabad 30, Azad Jammu and Kashmir four, and Gilgit-Baltistan one.

Federal Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal told the National Assembly that the federal and provincial governments had taken measures to prevent further transmission of HIV.

According to a review report for September 2026, Pakistan has an estimated 417,214 people living with HIV. Of these, 92,148 are registered, while 67,878 are receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART).