A parliamentary oversight body has escalated its scrutiny of a Karachi hospital at the centre of a major HIV outbreak, demanding the release of an inspection report that could determine the facility's future. The Senate Standing Committee on National Health Regulations and Coordination, chaired by Senator Aamir Aliuddin Chishti, met on Thursday to review the Sindh Healthcare Commission's (SHCC) findings at Kulsoom Bai Valika Hospital, where nearly 100 children were found infected with HIV/AIDS. Main Developments The committee directed the SHCC to submit a detailed report highlighting discrepancies identified during its inspection of the hospital, which operates under the Sindh Employees Social Security Institution (SESSI). Senator Chishti told Dawn that the inspection had been completed and that provincial authorities must now use its findings to decide whether Valika Hospital should be granted a licence—a credential it has yet to obtain. Many hospitals across Sindh, including some government-run facilities, remain unlicensed by the SHCC, and Valika Hospital is among them, the senator noted. Read also: Shehbaz Sharif Heads to Saudi Arabia for 3-Day Strategic Visit Sindh Minister for Labour, Human Resources and Social Protection Saeed Ghani briefed the committee on the crisis, revealing that HIV screening is being conducted in all SESSI-run hospitals across the province in collaboration with the Health Department's Communicable Disease Control (CDC) programme. Following recommendations from inquiry committees that investigated the Valika cases, final show-cause notices have been issued to 37 doctors, paramedics, and officials. Ghani warned that those found guilty of criminal negligence would face departmental action and the registration of FIRs. Background The outbreak first came to light when nearly 100 children at Valika Hospital tested positive for HIV, prompting the Senate committee to order an SHCC inspection. The CDC wing immediately launched extensive screening at the hospital and in surrounding communities, testing more than 10,500 people so far, with 120 positive cases. Of those, 81 are children of registered SESSI employees, while the remaining 39 have no affiliation with registered employees. The Sindh government has assumed responsibility for treatment and care of all 120 affected children, Ghani stated. Screening was later expanded to Landhi Hospital, despite no HIV cases being reported there. More than 7,500 people have been tested at that facility, with 21 HIV-positive cases detected—individuals who had no prior treatment history at the hospital and some infections linked to external factors. Why It Matters The case highlights systemic weaknesses in hospital licensing and infection control within Sindh's public health infrastructure. The committee's insistence on a licence review underscores concerns about oversight of state-run facilities, where lapses can have devastating consequences for vulnerable populations, especially children. Ghani accepted full ministerial responsibility for addressing the crisis, signalling political accountability. He announced the formation of a committee of leading medical specialists to oversee advanced treatment for affected children, and SESSI has established a Rs2 billion endowment fund to support affected families. An independent and autonomous oversight committee, comprising eminent personalities from across the province, will supervise the fund to ensure transparency. Ghani assured the Senate panel that no individual found responsible would receive leniency. What's Next The SHCC is expected to submit its inspection report to the committee, after which provincial authorities will decide on Valika Hospital's licence status. The show-cause notices issued to 37 staff members will proceed, with potential departmental action and FIRs for those found negligent. Meanwhile, expanded screening at Landhi Hospital and other SESSI facilities continues, with the CDC programme monitoring for further cases. The oversight committee for the endowment fund is yet to be constituted, and its composition will be watched closely as a test of the government's commitment to transparency.