Pakistan reports over 9,700 HIV cases in 2024 amid alarming rise

Pakistan is grappling with a shocking surge in HIV cases, with over 9,700 new diagnoses reported in the first nine months of 2024 alone. This alarming trend reflects an average of over 1,000 new cases each month, signaling a growing public health crisis.

The official statistics shared by the Ministry of Health indicated that a total of 9,713 individuals in Pakistan contracted HIV in the first nine months of 2024, with the estimated figure expected to rise to 12,950 by the end of the year.

Officials in the Ministry of Health recalled that 12,731 cases were reported last year.

The disease has been diagnosed in 69.4 percent of men and 20.5 percent of women, while 4.1 percent of transgender individuals and 6 percent of children are also affected by the virus.

This alarming trend translates to an average of 1,079 people contracting HIV every month across the country.

The data showed that the virus severely affected Punjab, with 5,691 cases reported, followed by Sindh, where 2,383 individuals were diagnosed. Meanwhile, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan reported 926 and 329 HIV cases, respectively.

Moreover, 378 cases were reported in the federal capital, while 10 cases were reported in Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

Experts warned that the situation is dire, with the virus now spreading from high-risk groups to the general population. This increase is largely attributed to low public awareness, inadequate protective measures, and gaps in health facility practices.

The country’s HIV crisis first drew widespread attention in 2019, when a pediatric HIV outbreak in Larkana District resulted in over 700 children testing positive for the virus