The Federal Health Minister, Mustafa Kamal, has denied the reports of an HIV epidemic in the country. During his press conference in Islamabad, Mustafa Kamal said that after the screening of HIV cases in the country, there are more than eighty thousand positive HIV cases reported, but they can’t be considered an HIV epidemic.
Mustafa Kamal stated that the HIV cases reported in Islamabad, Taunsa, and Karachi were due to the use of used injection needles. However, he further said that a new law has been introduced to avoid the use of small needles.
Mustafa Kamal said that he wants to inform the nation about the facts related to diseases. In 2020, there were 49 centres where 37,944 screenings were conducted, and 6,910 individuals tested positive for HIV. By 2025, the number of centres increased to 97, and 374,126 screenings were carried out, with 14,182 HIV cases reported.
The Health Minister further stated that out of the registered patients, 61,000 are currently receiving treatment. He emphasised that HIV is not an incurable disease; it is treatable. If a patient continues to take medication, the spread of HIV can be prevented.
Also Read, Govt rejects claims of sudden surge in HIV cases in Islamabad
Earlier, Media reports suggesting a sudden increase in HIV cases in the Federal Capital, Islamabad, have been rejected by government authorities as misleading.
Government officials clarified that the figure of 618 cases represents a cumulative total recorded over the past 15 months, not a sharp or recent spike. According to the government, the monthly rate of new registrations has remained stable and consistent with established trends.
