Number of HIV-positive children reaches 7,500 in Pakistan
Dr. Asad Ali, paediatrician and Chair of Community Health Sciences at Aga Khan University
Linkedin - Dr Asad Ali - https://www.linkedin.com/in/asad-ali-79583a16a/
Media Source: The International News (Pakistan)
Date: 3 August 2026
The number of children living with HIV has reached around 7,500 in Pakistan, accounting for roughly 12.1 per cent of the 62,000 people receiving HIV treatment nationwide, prompting health authorities to seek donor support for specialised nutrition to save lives and improve treatment outcomes. Renowned paediatrician and Chair of…
The number of children living with HIV has reached around 7,500 in Pakistan, accounting for roughly 12.1 per cent of the 62,000 people receiving HIV treatment nationwide, prompting health authorities to seek donor support for specialised nutrition to save lives and improve treatment outcomes. Renowned paediatrician and Chair of Community Health Sciences at Aga Khan University, Dr Asad Ali, said children living with HIV require significantly greater nutritional support than other children. “Children with HIV require 10 to 20 per cent more calories and protein compared to non-HIV children,” he said, adding that their nutritional needs increase further when they suffer from recurrent infections, diarrhoea, weight loss or other HIV-related complications.