PESHAWAR: The Health Department of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) has reported a significant increase in HIV cases across the province, with 1,147 new infections recorded this year, bringing the total number of registered patients to 8,356. According to official data, HIV patients registered in KP include:
• 6,105 men
• 2,080 women
• 171 transgender people
The provincial capital, Peshawar, reported 250 new cases this year alone.
The report highlights the main causes of HIV transmission among infected people:
• 1,102 cases linked to the use of contaminated syringes
• 818 cases caused by unsafe blood transfusions
The province also reported 1,486 deaths due to HIV-related complications this year, reflecting the severity of the epidemic.
While the majority of cases come from KP, the report also includes patients from other regions:
• 1,378 districts merged
• 352 from Afghanistan
• 112 Punjab
• 33 of Sindh
• 11 Balochistan
• 14 Gilgit-Baltistan
• 5 each from Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Islamabad
The rise in cases underlines the urgent need for greater awareness, safe medical practices and accessible healthcare facilities to combat the spread of HIV in KP and beyond.
