Pakistan Hospital Exposed for Reusing Syringes Amid Child HIV Outbreak

A BBC investigation has uncovered a disturbing trend at a government hospital in Pakistan, where 331 children have tested positive for HIV. The hospital, THQ Taunsa, was caught reusing syringes, posing a significant risk of viral transmission.

Undercover footage shows hospital staff, including a doctor, injecting patients without sterile gloves and reusing syringes on multi-dose vials of medicine. This practice creates a clear risk of viral transmission, according to Dr. Altaf Ahmed, a consultant microbiologist.

Investigation Findings

The BBC investigation found that the hospital's unsafe injection practices continued despite local authorities' promises to crack down on the issue. In late 2024, a doctor at a private clinic linked the outbreak to the hospital, and the hospital's medical superintendent was suspended in March 2025.

However, the BBC's undercover footage, filmed in late 2025, shows that the hospital's staff continued to reuse syringes and engage in other unsafe practices. The footage also shows a nurse rummaging through a medical waste disposal box without sterile gloves.

Dr. Gul Qaisrani, a doctor at a local private clinic, was the first to spot the outbreak in late 2024. He noticed a rise in the number of children testing positive for HIV and linked the cases to the hospital.

Government Response

The Punjab government intervened in March 2025, suspending the hospital's medical superintendent and promising a "massive crackdown" on the issue. However, the BBC's investigation suggests that the government's response has been inadequate, and the hospital's unsafe practices continue.

The hospital's new medical superintendent, Dr. Qasim Buzdar, refused to acknowledge the BBC's footage as genuine, claiming it could have been recorded before his tenure or that it was staged.

Consequences for Children

The outbreak has had devastating consequences for the children affected. Many of them, like 10-year-old Asma, are facing a lifetime of treatment for a virus they should never have been exposed to. Asma's brother, Mohammed Amin, died shortly after testing positive for HIV.

The stigma associated with HIV has also made life difficult for the children and their families. Asma's family says she is losing weight, and she is often isolated by her neighbors, who stop their children from playing with her.

Asma, however, remains determined to pursue her dreams. She tells the BBC that she works hard at school and wants to become a doctor when she grows up.