The legal framework
Pakistan has one of the fastest-growing epidemics in the region. Alongside transmission among people who inject drugs, outbreaks linked to unsafe injection practices and reused equipment in healthcare settings have affected communities including large numbers of children — the Ratodero outbreak of 2019 being the most documented. Treatment is free at designated centres, but the proportion of people diagnosed remains low.
Pakistan provides free antiretroviral treatment through designated centres, but coverage is low relative to the estimated number of people living with HIV, and the epidemic is concentrated among key populations. Outbreaks linked to unsafe injections and reused equipment, including one affecting large numbers of children, have shaped the public response.
Key points
| Treatment | Free at designated antiretroviral therapy centres |
|---|---|
| Testing coverage | Low: a large share of infections are undiagnosed |
| Unsafe injections | A documented driver of transmission, including outbreaks affecting children |
| Testing | Free at government centres and through NGO outreach |
| PrEP | Limited availability, mainly through programme sites |
| Stigma | A major barrier to testing and to staying in care |
In practice
- Insist on single-use syringes and new equipment for any injection or blood test.
- Free testing is available at government centres; NGOs also run outreach testing.
- If you are diagnosed, ask to be linked to a treatment centre immediately: treatment is free.
- Ask about multi-month dispensing to reduce the number of journeys.
Cost and coverage
Testing and treatment are free at government centres.
Where to go
- Government antiretroviral therapy centres.
- Provincial AIDS control programmes.
- NGOs providing outreach testing and support.
Worth knowing
Reused needles and shared equipment in informal healthcare settings remain a real risk. Watch the syringe being opened in front of you — for any injection, anywhere.
Frequently asked questions
Where is treatment available in Pakistan?
At designated HIV treatment centres in the major cities, free of charge, run under the national programme with support from international funders. Testing is available at the same centres and through outreach organisations working with key populations.
What does undetectable equals untransmittable mean?
That a person on effective treatment whose viral load stays below the limit of detection does not pass HIV on sexually. This is settled science, confirmed by large studies and accepted internationally. It depends on taking the medication consistently and having the viral load checked regularly. For a couple where one partner is HIV positive, it changes everything.
Official sources and links
- Government of Pakistan — official government portal