Unsafe Blood Transfusions Responsible for 15% of HIV Cases in Pakistan: Medical Experts Reveal

By Web Desk | December 28, 2025

Medical experts in Pakistan have revealed alarming findings that 15% of HIV patients in the country contracted the virus due to unsafe blood transfusions, highlighting serious gaps in blood safety systems. Health professionals warn that, in addition to HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, syphilis, malaria, and even dengue can also spread through contaminated blood if proper screening is not ensured.

HIV-Aids Virus In Pakistan

National Blood Transfusion Policy Introduced to Ensure Safety

In response to these risks, Pakistan has introduced a National Blood Transfusion Policy (2030) aimed at ensuring safe and standardized blood transfusion practices nationwide. Under this policy, advanced screening technologies such as CLIA (Chemiluminescence Immunoassay) and Nucleic Acid Testing (NAT) have been made mandatory for all blood banks.

According to medical experts, the biggest challenge in implementing this system is the lack of voluntary blood donors, which forces reliance on replacement or paid donors—often associated with higher infection risks.

Fragmented Blood Banking System a Major Concern

Professor Dr. Bushra Moiz, Head of the Section of Hematology and Transfusion Medicine at Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH) and President of the Pakistan Society of Hematology, explained that Pakistan’s blood banking system remained fragmented for decades.

While some blood banks met international standards, many operated at substandard levels. Although minimum standards existed, the 18th Constitutional Amendment led to the establishment of separate provincial regulatory authorities, creating uneven oversight across regions.

Role of Sindh Blood Transfusion Authority (SBTA)

In Sindh, the establishment of the Sindh Blood Transfusion Authority (SBTA) played a crucial role in improving blood safety. The authority focused on ending fragmentation by setting up Regional Blood Centers (RBCs).

Between 2014 and 2020, this reform led to the creation of 18 Regional Blood Centers across Pakistan, significantly improving:

IT-based donor tracking
Blood screening systems
Quality control standards

These centers, mostly attached to hospitals, provided free and safe blood to patients.

Blood and Blood Products Now Classified as Drugs

Under the new national policy, blood and blood products, including plasma-derived products, are now classified as drugs. This brings blood banks under the oversight of the Drug Regulatory Authority, aligning Pakistan with World Health Organization (WHO) standards.

Plasma-derived products include:

Albumin
Clotting factors
Immunoglobulins
Anti-tetanus immunoglobulin
Anti-rabies immunoglobulin

This classification ensures stricter regulation, quality assurance, and patient safety.

Standardized Blood Screening for Five Deadly Diseases

Currently, blood screening in Pakistan tests for five major infections:

HIV
Hepatitis B
Hepatitis C
Syphilis
Malaria

The new policy mandates internationally standardized CLIA-based testing across all blood banks. Previously, many facilities relied on rapid or kit-based tests, which often failed to detect infections like hepatitis B and C.

Importance of Nucleic Acid Testing (NAT)

Experts emphasize that Nucleic Acid Testing (NAT), a PCR-based method, can detect infections even when virus levels are too low for conventional tests. This is critical because even a small amount of virus can cause infection through blood transfusion.

The policy also introduces a complete donor-to-patient traceability system, enabling authorities to track:

Who donated blood
When and where it was donated
Which patient received it

If an infection is detected later, donors can be traced internationally through systems aligned with the International Society of Blood Transfusion.

Hepatitis Hotspots Identified Across Pakistan

According to 2022 data from Regional Blood Centers:

Hepatitis C prevalence is higher in northern Pakistan
Interior Sindh reports hepatitis C rates between 8–9%
Karachi has a hepatitis B prevalence of around 5%

Experts warn that Sindh is becoming a hepatitis C hotspot, while hepatitis B cases are also being reported in Peshawar and Islamabad.

Special Focus on Thalassemia Patients

For the first time, the national policy includes special provisions for thalassemia patients, particularly children who require frequent blood transfusions. Since treatment is costly, the policy prioritizes prevention and risk reduction over treatment alone.

Unsafe Blood Transfusion: A Preventable Tragedy

Infectious disease specialist Professor Dr. Syed Faisal Mahmood stated that if infected blood is transfused, the risk of disease transmission is nearly 100%. He described unsafe blood transfusion as the use of blood without proper screening and infection control measures.

A survey conducted at Aga Khan University Hospital revealed that 15% of HIV patients across Pakistan acquired the virus through unsafe blood transfusions. While this number may seem small, experts stress that in modern healthcare systems, this rate should be zero.

“Even one case of HIV due to unsafe blood transfusion is a national failure,” he emphasized.

Other Routes of Blood-Borne Infections

Experts also warned that blood-borne infections in children are not limited to transfusions alone. Reused syringes, contaminated surgical instruments, and unsafe injection practices are common causes.

In many settings, water for injectable medicines is repeatedly drawn from the same container, increasing the risk of contamination. These practices pose serious risks, especially for children, women, and the elderly.

HIV, Hepatitis, and Social Stigma

While effective HIV medications allow patients to live normal lives and prevent transmission, many individuals hide their condition due to social stigma. Doctors caution that HIV can affect anyone, as medical procedures like injections and dental treatments are common.

National AIDS Control Program surveys show HIV prevalence among:

30–50% of people who inject drugs
7% of transgender individuals
5% of men who have sex with men
2% of female sex workers

Experts warn that HIV is no longer limited to high-risk groups and poses a growing public health challenge.

Conclusion

Medical experts unanimously agree that unsafe blood transfusion is a completely preventable cause of HIV and other deadly infections. The success of Pakistan’s National Blood Transfusion Policy now depends on strict enforcement, public awareness, voluntary blood donation, and investment in modern testing technologies.

Ensuring safe blood is not just a medical responsibility, it is a moral and national obligation.

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