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

Mohammed Amin, who was eight years old, passed away shortly after an HIV diagnosis. His mother, Sughra, described his symptoms as severe, noting he slept in the rain due to intense fevers and “writhed in pain like he’d been thrown in hot oil.” At his graveside, 10-year-old Asma recounted how her brother had “used to fight with me, but he also loved me.” Asma, too, was diagnosed with HIV shortly after her brother. Both children are among 331 reported cases in Taunsa, Punjab, Pakistan, between November 2024 and October 2025, according to BBC Eye.

A private clinic doctor first linked the outbreak to THQ Taunsa Hospital in late 2024. Local authorities later vowed to “massive crackdown” and suspended the hospital’s medical superintendent in March 2025. However, BBC Eye’s investigation reveals that unsafe practices persisted for months. During 32 hours of hidden filming in late 2025, staff repeatedly reused syringes on multi-dose vials, risking contamination. On ten occasions, the same syringes were used for multiple patients, with four instances showing the same vial administered to different children.

Broader Weaknesses in Infection Control

Despite visible guidelines on hospital walls, staff were observed using non-sterile gloves 66 times. A nurse was also filmed handling medical waste without proper protection. Dr. Altaf Ahmed, a microbiology consultant, stated,

“Even if they have attached a new needle, the back part, which we call the syringe body, has the virus in it, so it will transfer even with a new needle.”

The footage also highlights gaps in training across Pakistan’s healthcare system.

Responses from the Hospital’s Leadership

When shown the undercover video, Dr. Qasim Buzdar, the hospital’s new medical superintendent, dismissed its authenticity. He suggested the footage could have been recorded before his tenure or staged, insisting his facility was safe for children. Dr. Gul Qaisrani, from a local private clinic, identified 65 to 70 children who had received treatment at THQ Taunsa. He recalls a mother reporting her daughter was injected with a syringe used by a cousin with HIV, and another father who raised concerns about reuse but was ignored.

Continued Practices and Data Analysis

BBC Eye combined data from the Punjab Aids screening program, private clinics, and a leaked police dataset to confirm 331 HIV cases in Taunsa during the period. Among 97 children tested, only four mothers were HIV-positive, indicating mother-to-child transmission was unlikely. The majority of cases, however, were attributed to “contaminated needle” as the mode of infection, with the hospital’s records listing this for over half the cases, including Asma’s.

Dr. Tayyab Farooq Chandio, THQ Taunsa’s former medical superintendent, was suspended in March 2025 after the outbreak was identified. Yet, within three months, he returned to work at a rural health centre on the outskirts of Taunsa. In an interview, he claimed the hospital had “immediately” addressed the issue but denied it was the source of the outbreak.