Valika HIV outbreak sparks fear, fury as families battle stigma

Cases among children climb to 80 as families seek justice and long-term support

KARACHI:

In the densely-populated poor neighbourhoods clustered around Valika Hospital, a quiet crisis is unfolding - one that has left dozens of families shattered, searching for answers, and battling a stigma as painful as the disease itself.

As the number of HIV-positive children rises to 80, parents say their lives have been turned upside down - not only by a diagnosis they cannot explain, but by the rejection, fear and isolation that followed.

While authorities say all infected children are receiving treatment through Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) centres and have announced a Rs2billion endowment fund for long-term care, affected families describe a grim reality marked by delayed treatment, financial strain and deep social stigma.

The outbreak first surfaced in October 2025, prompting expanded screening and an ongoing investigation. Most cases have emerged from neighbourhoods surrounding the hospital, including Banaras, Orangi Town, SIET Area, Itehad Town and Pathan Colony. For many parents, the biggest question remains unanswered: how their children contracted the virus.

"Both of us tested negative. We still don't know how our daughter got HIV," said Mehtab, father of three-year-old Uzma Naz. He said his daughter was admitted to Valika Hospital in October 2025 with a fever and underwent multiple tests, including a blood transfusion, during a 10 to 12-day stay.

"When two children in my brother's family tested positive, I finally agreed to get my daughter tested. Her result also came back positive," he said, adding that both he and his wife later tested negative.

Mehtab also alleged delays in hospital services. "Tests were prescribed in the morning, but the blood sample was only taken at around 4pm after repeated visits to officials," he said.

Beyond the medical ordeal, families say they are now grappling with social isolation.

"Our children's lives have been destroyed. Neighbours and even relatives avoid them. We want justice and proper treatment," he said. For Ayesha Kamran, whose 17-month-old son is HIV positive, the diagnosis has upended her life. "My in-laws forced me out of the house," she said, adding that her husband, a daily wage labourer, risks losing his job if he takes time off work. "If he doesn't work, how will we survive?"

She said her son, admitted to Valika Hospital in August 2025, was diagnosed months later after another bout of illness.

"My child remained without medicine for two days. HIV treatment must be timely, but we could not get it," she added.

Another parent, Aftab, whose three children - aged 12 and three and 8 year old daughter - are HIV positive, said the stigma has been as devastating as the illness itself.

"The school asked us to take our children away because other parents would withdraw theirs," he said. "In our neighbourhood, children no longer play with them."

He described instances of discrimination at social events. "At weddings, my children were made to sit separately and were served food in separate utensils."

"Their questions break me," he added. "They ask: what disease do we have, why is everyone avoiding us, what have we done wrong?"

Local officials claim the scale of the outbreak may be larger than reported. Pathan Colony Union Council Chairman Irshad Khan said evidence submitted to the Sindh High Court suggests the number of cases could exceed 100.

He also raised concerns over alleged negligence, including the use of expired testing kits and poor infection control practices in the hospital's children's ward.

"We do not want the hospital shut down because it serves the poor, but those responsible must be held accountable," he said.

Khan further criticised attempts to shift blame onto administrative staff, arguing that procurement and clinical decisions fall outside their mandate. He warned that if the investigation lacks transparency, his organisation would seek a judicial inquiry.

Despite ongoing probes, families say accountability remains elusive.

The Sindh government has initiated disciplinary action, suspending two doctors and 17 nursing staff, while issuing show-cause notices to 37 doctors and paramedical staff. The hospital's medical superintendent has also been removed.

Yet for affected families, the crisis goes beyond numbers.

They continue to struggle with interrupted treatment, rising expenses and social rejection, while demanding answers about how the infections occurred - and assurances that no other children will suffer the same fate.

"We don't just need treatment," said one parent. "We need justice, dignity and a future for our children."