Pathways to prevention: insights on stemming HIV outbreaks in Larkana, Pakistan

Authors

  • Hussain Ahmed Raza Department for Educational Development, The Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
  • Mohummad Hassan Raza Raja Department of Medicine, The Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
  • Muhammad Mussab Khakwani 5th Year MBBS Student, The Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
  • Minahil Khakwani 5th Year MBBS Student, Nishtar Medical University, Multan, Pakistan
  • Bushra Jamil Department of Medicine, The Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.47391/JPMA.9627

Keywords:

HIV, Epidemics, Children, Risk factors, Pakistan

Abstract

In the past two decades, Pakistan has faced multiple human immunodeficiency virus outbreaks, with Larkana appearing to be the hub of such outbreaks. While the previous Larkana outbreaks happened in high-risk populations, the alarming outbreak in 2019 occurred in a low-risk paediatric population, raising several concerning questions. Human immunodeficiency virus infections spilling into the general population is indicative of a steady increase in the number of cases, and the failure of control strategies to stem the concentrated epidemic from evolving. Although several causative factors have been identified from previous outbreaks, the one that occurred in 2019 may have been influenced by an additional, hitherto unexplored factor; child sexual abuse. The current narrative review was planned to summarise human immunodeficiency virus risk factors and causes identified in previous Larkana epidemics, to explore potential reasons for the outbreaks in children,

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Published

2024-02-11

How to Cite

Raza, H. A., Raja, M. H. R., Khakwani, M. M., Khakwani, M., & Jamil, B. (2024). Pathways to prevention: insights on stemming HIV outbreaks in Larkana, Pakistan. Journal of the Pakistan Medical Association, 74(3), 544–548. https://doi.org/10.47391/JPMA.9627

Issue

Section

Narrative Review

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