A case of serious negligence has come to light at THQ Hospital in Taunsa, Punjab province of Pakistan, where hundreds of children have been found infected with HIV due to repeated use of some syringes and poor infection control. This shocking situation has been exposed in an undercover investigation by BBC News. According to the report, HIV infection has been confirmed in at least 331 children in Taunsa between November 2024 and October 2025. Investigations have revealed that many of these cases may be related to unsafe injection practices at the hospital.
In a 32-hour covert recording by the BBC in late 2025, hospital staff were seen using the same syringe multiple times on different patients. The video also showed that the same syringe was being used repeatedly in vials containing multi-dose medicines, creating a risk of the entire medicine getting infected.
At the center of this crisis of infection is the case of eight-year-old Mohammad Amin, who died after being found HIV positive. According to his mother, he suffered high fever and unbearable pain in his last days. After some time, his sister Asma was also found HIV infected. The family alleges that both the children got the infection due to the contaminated injection given to them during treatment in the government hospital.
Local doctor Dr. Gul Kaisarani noticed an unusual increase in HIV cases among children in late 2024, after which an investigation into the entire matter began.
“Even if a new needle is used, the main part of the syringe may carry the virus and spread the infection,” said infection expert Dr Altaf Ahmed. During the investigation, a nurse was also seen giving a used syringe to her colleague for re-use, which experts called a serious violation.
The condition of cleanliness and hygiene of the hospital was also found worrying in the undercover footage. Many lapses like leaving used needles in the open, improper disposal of medical waste and giving injections without gloves were revealed. Many parents have also confirmed such unsafe behavior.
However, the hospital administration has denied these allegations. Medical Superintendent Dr. Qasim Buzdar raised questions on the authenticity of the footage and said that this video could possibly be old or tampered. He claimed that infection control is the top priority in the hospital.
The case highlights shortcomings in Pakistan’s health system and underlines the need for strict enforcement of infection control standards. Experts believe that if immediate corrective steps are not taken, such cases may become more serious in future.
Also read:
Iranian crude oil reached India after 7 years; ‘No toll’ on Indian ships
Pakistan unable to pay bill for hosting US-Iran talks
Adani Energy Solutions: Commissioning of 1,000 MW High Voltage Direct Current Transmission Link between Kudus-Aarey
Comments are closed.