The number of children living with HIV in Pakistan has reached around 7,500, highlighting the growing scale of the country’s pediatric HIV crisis.
Children now account for approximately 12.1% of the 62,000 people receiving HIV treatment nationwide.
Sindh has emerged as the center of the crisis, with around 4,200 HIV-positive children registered with treatment services in recent years. The province is also recording the highest number of new infections among children.
An average of around 120 children have been diagnosed with HIV every month in Sindh during 2026.
Punjab has the second-highest number of HIV-positive children, followed by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.
Cases have also been reported in the Islamabad Capital Territory, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan.
The rising number of infections has increased concerns about the health and treatment of affected children, many of whom also suffer from malnutrition, poor growth, recurring infections, and other health complications.
Health experts say children living with HIV require greater nutritional and medical support because their needs increase further when they experience diarrhea, weight loss, recurring illnesses, or complications related to HIV treatment.
Authorities are providing antiretroviral therapy through 99 treatment centers across the country as Pakistan continues to face a growing pediatric HIV burden.
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