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

Eight-year-old Mohammed Amin passed away shortly after his HIV diagnosis, a tragedy his mother, Sughra, describes as agonizing. “His fevers were so severe he insisted on sleeping in the rain, and he writhed in pain, as if he’d been thrown into hot oil,” she recalls. Ten-year-old Asma, his sister, also contracted the virus during routine care at a government hospital in Taunsa, Punjab, Pakistan. Both children’s families believe the infection stemmed from contaminated injections at THQ Taunsa, a hospital linked to a broader HIV outbreak affecting 331 children in the city between November 2024 and October 2025.

Undercover Evidence Reveals Persistent Risks

During a 32-hour covert operation at THQ Taunsa in late 2025, BBC Eye documented 10 instances of syringe reuse on multi-dose medicine vials. In four cases, the same vial was administered to multiple children, raising concerns about viral spread. Though the footage does not confirm any infections, the practice itself creates a significant risk of transmission. Dr. Altaf Ahmed, a consultant microbiologist and infectious disease expert, explained the danger after reviewing the recordings: “Even with a new needle, the syringe body retains the virus, so it can still spread.”

Despite visible signs of safe injection protocols, the team observed staff, including a doctor, administering injections without sterile gloves on 66 occasions. A separate expert noted that the footage exposed systemic gaps in infection control training across Pakistan. One nurse was also seen handling medical waste without proper protection, further highlighting the hospital’s lapses.

Early Detection and Patient Accounts

The outbreak was first identified by Dr. Gul Qaisrani, a local private clinic physician, who noticed a spike in HIV-positive children visiting his facility in late 2024. He reports that between 65 and 70 of these cases had received treatment at THQ Taunsa. A mother shared with him that her daughter was injected using the same syringe as a child with HIV, and the tool was later reused on several others. Another parent recounted challenging syringe reuse at the hospital, only to be dismissed by the staff.

Using data from the Punjab provincial Aids screening program, private clinics, and a leaked police dataset, BBC Eye confirmed 331 HIV-positive children in Taunsa during the specified period. In a sample of 97 children whose families were tested, only four mothers were HIV-positive, suggesting most infections were not mother-to-child transmissions. The mode of transmission for over half the cases was listed as “contaminated needle,” though details for others were unclear.

Responses and Continued Concerns

The Punjab government suspended THQ Taunsa’s medical superintendent, Dr. Tayyab Farooq Chandio, in March 2025 after the outbreak was flagged. However, BBC Eye found that Chandio resumed work with children just three months later as a senior medical officer at a rural health centre near Taunsa. In an interview, he claimed the hospital was not responsible for the outbreak, asserting that he acted immediately upon learning of an HIV-positive case.

When presented with the undercover footage, the hospital’s new medical superintendent, Dr. Qasim Buzdar, disputed its authenticity. He suggested the clips could have been recorded before his tenure or staged, insisting his facility was safe for pediatric patients.