Alarming rise in HIV cases in Pakistan: Challenges and future recommendations at hand

BACKGROUND: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a retrovirus that suppresses the immune system by reducing the CD4+ T lymphocytes level. It has become a global challenge with fast prevalence ratio. Like other developing countries, Pakistan is also struggling for overcoming this viral disease since very first reported case in 1987. AIM: To update the society on the alarming rise in HIV cases in Pakistan: challenges and future recommendations at hand. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The review paper utilized different search engines such pubmed central, scopus, web of science, google scholar etc. to conduct this review paper. RESULTS: Lack of awareness, low literacy rate, practice of unhygienic equipment in healthcare departments, unstable economy, and unsafe sexual practices are the major factors behind the increasing rate of AIDS in Pakistan. CONCLUSION: By regulating healthcare practices and policies, promoting psychological counseling to HIV positive patients, educating the society and minimizing commercial sex practices, Pakistan can overcome this viral disease.