Hospital at centre of child HIV outbreak caught reusing syringes in undercover filming
Hospital at Centre of Child HIV Outbreak Caught Reusing Syringes in Undercover Filming
Warning: This story contains details that readers may find distressing. Mohammed Amin, an eight-year-old boy, died shortly after learning he had HIV. His mother, Sughra, recalls his severe fevers, which led him to sleep in the rain, and his agonizing pain, described as “like he’d been thrown in hot oil.” At his younger brother’s graveside, Asma, a 10-year-old girl, speaks of her struggle with the illness, saying, “He used to fight with me, but he also loved me.”
Two Children’s HIV Linked to Contaminated Injections
Both children are among 331 confirmed HIV cases in Taunsa, Punjab, Pakistan, between November 2024 and October 2025, according to BBC Eye. Their families suspect the infections came from shared syringes during routine medical care at THQ Taunsa Hospital. Asma was diagnosed shortly after her brother, and their ordeal highlights systemic risks in hospital procedures.
Undercover Findings Reveal Ongoing Risks
During 32 hours of covert filming at THQ Taunsa in late 2025, BBC Eye documented syringes being reused on multi-dose vials 10 times. In four instances, the same vial was administered to different children. While the exact impact remains unclear, experts warn this practice creates a significant risk of viral spread. Dr Altaf Ahmed, a microbiology consultant, noted,
“Even with a new needle, the syringe body still carries the virus, so transmission is possible.”
Staff members, including a doctor, were seen handling injections without sterile gloves 66 times. A nurse was also filmed retrieving medical waste without proper protection. Ahmed called these actions “violations of every principle of safe medicine delivery.” Despite posted guidelines, the footage exposed persistent lapses in infection control.
Reactions from Hospital Officials
When shown the undercover footage, Dr Qasim Buzdar, the hospital’s new medical superintendent, disputed its authenticity. He suggested it could have been staged or recorded before his tenure, insisting the facility was safe for children. Meanwhile, Dr Gul Qaisrani, a private clinic physician, first identified the outbreak after noticing a spike in HIV diagnoses among young patients treated at THQ Taunsa.
Qaisrani reported that many of the 65 to 70 children diagnosed with HIV had received care at the hospital. One parent told him their daughter was injected with the same syringe as an HIV-positive cousin, and the tool was reused on multiple children. The hospital’s former medical superintendent, Dr Tayyab Farooq Chandio, was suspended in March 2025 after the Punjab government acknowledged 106 cases. However, Chandio returned to work at a rural health center just three months later as a senior medical officer.
BBC Eye cross-referenced data from the Punjab Aids screening program, private clinics, and a leaked police dataset to identify the 331 cases. Among 97 children tested, only four mothers were HIV-positive, indicating most infections likely stemmed from contaminated needles. The provincial program listed “contaminated needle” as the transmission method for over half the cases, including Asma’s, though some remain unclassified.
