Pakistan: 900 children among 1,100 affected as HIV outbreak resurfaces

Over 1100 people in a small city near Larkana in Sindh province have been reportedly found to be HIV positive of which over 900 are children under 12 years old. Another 900 in Rato Dero and Larkana were tested positive earlier this year. The disease's outbreak resurfaced in April and now almost every household in the area has an HIV positive child. The source of the outbreak has been reportedly traced toa pediatrician who used the same syringe on several children. Pakistani Health officials claim that there are more who are affected as only a faction was examined by them of which 1100 have been found positive.

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Pediatrician injected used syringes which caused the outbreak: Officials

Health centers, clinics, and hospitals have been flooded with families seeking to test the disease and also for treatment. When the outbreak was initially detected in April the families went to a certain pediatrician, said officials to media. The accused pediatrician, Muzaffar Ghanghro is still under scrutiny for being the culprit behind this widespread outbreak. Ghanghro was the cheapest available option in Rato Dero which is inhabited by about 2 Lakh people who are amongst the poorest in the country with a high rate of illiteracy.

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A resident said that Ghangro had treated six of her children of which 4 are positive and 2 have died. Others claimed that Ghangro used old syringes. A laborer informed that when he brought his son to Ghangro, he saw he is digging into a bag full of used syringes to inject his son. When the resident feared the consequences, he raised the question to Ghangro who said that he is old syringes because the patient cannot afford new ones. 

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Pediatrician arrested but denies charges

The doctor has been arrested on charges of negligence, manslaughter, and unintentional harm.
On the other hand, Ghanghro refused to get himself tested by officials and pleaded not guilty. Though the investigation against Ghangro is still on, he still works as a general practitioner at a government hospital just outside of Rato Dero. The reuse of syringes is an offense and does not stand eligible for bail as per Pakistani laws. Officials maintain that Ghangro is not the only person reusing syringes. Cases of reusing old syringes on patients is a regular thing noted by them, they added. Barbers also use the same razor on multiple customers and makeshift setups of dentists also use unsterilized tools on patients, which is perilous, they concluded.

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