Federal health authorities on Thursday ordered strict nationwide enforcement of a ban on conventional disposable syringes and initiated a review of safer alternatives, citing growing concerns over unsafe injection practices linked to the spread of HIV.
The decisions were taken at a high-level meeting chaired by Director General Health Dr Abdul Wali Khan at the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan, attended by senior officials from the health ministry, representatives of World Health Organization and UNICEF, as well as experts from major public health institutions.
Participants reviewed the rising number of HIV infections among both children and adults, expressing particular concern over the reuse of syringes, unsafe blood transfusions and weak infection prevention and control practices. Health experts noted that a significant proportion of infections are linked to such unsafe practices.