The petition notes that the outbreak has killed nine children and infected more than 200 children at the KBV hospital since November 2025.
A nurse draws a blood sample from a child for an HIV test at a clinic in South Africa. Photo: REUTERS/file
The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Thursday directed the provincial government to submit a detailed report within a fortnight in response to a petition alleging that more than 200 children of industrial workers contracted human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and nine died due to negligence at a government hospital in Karachi.
The petition, filed by lawyer Tariq Mansoor, claimed that the HIV outbreak at Kulsum Bai Valika (KBV) hospital located in Sindh Industrial Trading Estate (SITE) area was caused by reuse of contaminated disposable syringes and gross medical negligence, resulting in the spread of the infection to over 200 children, with several deaths reported.
Sindh Chief Secretary, Secretary Labor and Human Resources, Secretary Health, Chairman and Commissioner Sindh Employees’ Social Security Institution (SESSI), Medical Superintendent KBV Hospital, Medical Superintendent KBV Hospital (suspended), Dr. Ghulam Mustufa Abro, Executive Director Pakistan Drug Regulatory Authority, Secretary Human Rights, Director General Sindh Child Protection Authority, Inspector General the police and the president of the Federal Employers of Pakistan were nominated as respondents.
Additionally, a letter addressed to the principal secretary and other senior government officials, dated March 31 and submitted by the lawyer, shared with The express PAkGazettenoted that the outbreak initially infected 84 children between November 2025 and February 2026.
The KBV hospital, functioning under the Sindh Employees’ Social Security Institution (SESSI), established under the Sindh Employees’ Social Security Act, 2016, is responsible for providing medical facilities to insured workers and their dependents, the petition details.
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A division bench comprising Justice Adnanul Karim Memon and Justice Adnan Iqbal Chaudhry heard the present constitutional petition, filed under Article 199 of the Constitution, for implementation of fundamental rights guaranteed under Articles 4, 9, 10-A, 14, 19-A, 25, 37 and 38.
During the hearing, the petitioner’s lawyer told the court that the provincial government acted with “gross negligence and carelessness” in addressing the health emergency.
He alleged that the repeated use of previously used syringes in the public hospital caused the outbreak of HIV among minors.
“Nine children have died due to the HIV outbreak, while hundreds more have reportedly contracted the virus,” the petitioner argued before the SHC, adding that eight months had passed since the death of the nine children, but no legal action had been initiated on their behalf.
Addressing the court, the litigant maintained that international organisations, including the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), had also expressed concern over the situation.
He highlighted that the hospital treated a large number of patients daily and had a “legal duty” to provide safe and appropriate medical treatment.
Recalling a notice issued by the Department of Labor and Human Resources to the SESSI commissioner on April 14 to submit a comprehensive report, the public interest litigator said: “The investigation report has not been submitted to the court or made available to any other party.”
Meanwhile, the petition also states, “The respondents have failed to fulfill their legal and constitutional obligations by failing to conduct an independent investigation, failing to register criminal cases against those responsible, failing to ensure comprehensive detection and treatment of the affected patients and failing to formulate rules contemplated under Section 10 of the Sindh Regulation and Control of Disposable Syringes Act, 2010.”
“Such inaction… amounts to an arbitrary exercise of authority and infringes the fundamental rights of the affected children, their families and the public at large,” it further reads.
Read more: 23,000 HIV patients untraceable: minister
Advocate Mansoor regretted that only the health secretary was authorized to initiate FIR against suspects involved in the HIV outbreak under the applicable legal framework.
He prayed to the court that if it did not intervene, hundreds of children could lose their chance at life.
Justice Memon observed that although the matter was serious, the provincial high court was bound to proceed in accordance with the established legal procedure.
He said the tribunal would conclude only after receiving responses from all parties.
At the conclusion of the hearing, the court ordered the government to submit a detailed investigation report within two weeks. The court also issued notices to the respondents seeking their responses and adjourned the hearing till July 20.
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