They accused a doctor of inoculating HIV to 90 patients

At least 90 people, including 65 children, have been infected with HIV in southern Pakistan after a doctor used a contaminated syringe, officials said Friday.

"We arrested a doctor," said Kamran Nawaz, police chief of Larkana (south), where the contamination took place.

"According to the health authorities, (the doctor) injected drugs with a single syringe," he said, adding that the doctor had "also HIV".

A police document sent to AFP establishes that a clinic is "the source of the spread of the disease," without specifying whether the doctor in question has worked on it.

Authorities were first alerted last week after 18 children living on the outskirts of Larkana tested positive for the AIDS virus, prompting health officials to conduct more in-depth badyzes.

"More than 90 people," including 65 children, were "HIV-positive," said Dr. Abdul Rehaman, Larkana District Health Officer.

A second health official confirmed this contamination, but mentioned slightly different figures.

"The blood of the parents of the infected children was also badyzed, but their results were negative," said Dr. Azra Pechuho, Minister of Health of Sindh Province, to which Larkana belongs.

Dr. Pechuho also confirmed the arrest of the doctor.

Since then, officials have launched an even greater campaign of badysis and prevention.

Pakistan is considered a country with low HIV prevalence. But AIDS is on the rise, especially among drug users, bad workers and immigrants from the Gulf countries.