Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal has directed health authorities to make HIV screening mandatory before surgical procedures involving skin piercing or incisions across Pakistan.

He issued the directive while chairing a meeting of the Joint Working Group on HIV/AIDS at the Ministry of National Health Services.

The move aims to establish a uniform screening standard and strengthen measures to prevent the spread of HIV through healthcare procedures.

Provinces Asked to Implement Policy

The minister directed health authorities in Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan to issue the necessary notifications for implementing pre-surgical HIV screening.

Officials told the meeting that Sindh, Punjab and Islamabad Capital Territory have already introduced HIV screening before such procedures.

Mustafa Kamal stressed that similar practices should be followed nationwide so that infection-prevention measures do not vary from one region to another.

Focus on Children Living With HIV

The minister also called for greater attention to children living with HIV.

He said their care should go beyond medical treatment and include nutritional, psychosocial and welfare support. Such comprehensive care, he added, can improve their quality of life and treatment outcomes.

Stronger Infection Control Urged

Kamal further directed officials to invite provincial healthcare commissions to the next meeting to review infection prevention and control practices.

He highlighted unsafe injections, weak infection-control measures and gaps in blood safety as areas requiring urgent attention.

The government wants these issues to be addressed through a coordinated national framework, with healthcare facilities expected to strengthen safety measures for both patients and medical workers.

The proposed screening policy could mark a significant step toward creating consistent HIV prevention standards across Pakistan’s healthcare system.