ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has announced a nationwide crackdown on the production and use of substandard syringes as part of renewed efforts to curb the spread of infectious diseases, particularly HIV and Hepatitis C.
Chairing a high-level meeting in Islamabad on Friday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directed authorities to immediately prohibit the manufacture, distribution and use of unsafe syringes, stressing that protecting public health must remain a national priority.
The prime minister ordered strict action against individuals, healthcare facilities and hospitals found using illegal or poor-quality syringes, or those responsible for negligence in preventing their use. He emphasised that accountability across the healthcare sector was essential to reducing preventable infections.
To strengthen the country’s response, Shehbaz instructed officials to establish a committee of medical and public health experts tasked with preparing comprehensive recommendations in consultation with provincial governments. The committee will develop a coordinated national strategy for preventing infectious diseases and improving healthcare safety standards.
He also directed the Ministry of Law to propose amendments to the existing legal and regulatory framework to reinforce oversight of medical devices and improve enforcement against unsafe medical practices.
Calling for a long-term solution, the prime minister said a comprehensive national policy, backed by effective implementation, was necessary to address the continued spread of blood-borne diseases.
Shehbaz further instructed the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP), working alongside the country’s medical devices industry, to introduce permanent safeguards aimed at eliminating infections linked to unsafe syringe use.
Highlighting the importance of international cooperation, the prime minister said Pakistan would continue to seek support from global development and health partners in strengthening disease prevention programmes. He also stressed the need to train healthcare professionals in accordance with internationally recognised medical standards.
Repeated HIV outbreaks raise concern
Pakistan has experienced several HIV outbreaks in recent years that have been linked to unsafe healthcare practices, including the reuse of contaminated syringes.
Earlier this year, hospitals in Karachi reported a significant rise in paediatric HIV infections, while an investigation by the BBC revealed that unsafe medical practices had persisted in a government hospital in Punjab’s Taunsa despite earlier official intervention.
According to the investigation, at least 331 children tested positive for HIV between November 2024 and October 2025, with new infections continuing after authorities had pledged corrective action.
In late 2025, another cluster of HIV cases involving children emerged in Karachi’s SITE Town, where several infections were traced to treatment received at a local hospital.
One of Pakistan’s most serious HIV outbreaks occurred in 2019 in Ratodero, Sindh, where hundreds of children contracted the virus. The incident prompted an investigation led by the World Health Organisation (WHO), which concluded that the widespread reuse of contaminated injections had been a major factor behind the outbreak.
The latest government measures are aimed at preventing similar public health crises by tightening regulation, improving medical standards and ensuring safer healthcare practices across the country.
