Pakistan has renewed its nationwide HIV awareness campaign, reviving the landmark “Aao Baat Karain” initiative first launched in 2022. The Common Management Unit (CMU), which works under the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination, is leading the renewed effort alongside the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Pakistan and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS).

The campaign aims to encourage open and informed discussion about HIV, improve access to prevention and treatment services, and challenge the stigma and discrimination faced by people living with the virus. Its renewed focus is on raising public awareness, promoting HIV testing and early diagnosis, and highlighting the experiences and voices of people affected by the disease, according to the Islamabad Post.

Several national and international health partners are supporting the effort, including the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Association of People Living with HIV-Pakistan. The CMU says the initiative returns in 2026 as a sustained national effort, building on the momentum of the original campaign.

The scale of the challenge is significant. The National AIDS Control Programme, run through the CMU, has registered 92,148 HIV cases in Pakistan, with 67,878 people receiving antiretroviral treatment at 113 treatment centres as of June 2026. The renewed campaign comes as the CMU and its partners also prepare activities for World AIDS Day 2026, with a planning meeting held on 7 October.