Health Minister Warns of Rising HIV Cases, Cites Unsafe Drug Use and Sexual Activity as Key Risk Factors

Islamabad: Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal has warned that the spread of HIV in Pakistan is no longer linked solely to contaminated syringes, saying that unsafe drug use and high-risk sexual behaviour are also contributing to the growing number of infections.

Speaking at a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on National Health, the minister said that club culture and night parties in major cities involve the use of crystal meth (“ice”) and other narcotics, as well as unsafe sexual activities, which increase the risk of HIV transmission.

Mustafa Kamal said the Ministry of Health alone cannot stop such gatherings and stressed that all relevant government institutions must work together to address the issue.

He also revealed that 35 to 40 new HIV cases are being reported daily in Islamabad, with many of the affected individuals being young men and women. He noted that many young people remain unaware of the risks associated with HIV transmission.

The minister said the Prime Minister recently chaired a meeting on the issue, during which relevant institutions presented a detailed report on the country’s HIV situation. Referring to the HIV outbreak linked to contaminated syringes at Karachi’s Valika Hospital, he said that incident occurred about a year and a half ago, but the factors driving new infections have since changed.