Health Authorities Probe HIV Spread Linked to Dialysis Units

Following the identification of four HIV‑positive dialysis patients at Mian Channu’s THQ Hospital, provincial health authorities have opened a formal investigation into infection‑control failures across dialysis facilities in southern Punjab. The probe will examine compliance with the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for renal clinics, equipment sterilisation logs, and staff adherence to universal precautions.

Past investigations, such as the 2024 Nishtar Hospital episode where roughly thirty kidney patients were flagged as HIV‑positive during dialysis, resulted in a government‑ordered inquiry that highlighted SOP violations. A 2026 scientific study involving Aga Khan University and the Punjab AIDS Control Programme linked a series of dialysis‑related infections to internal cross‑contamination, prompting legal action against senior officials under the PEDEA Act.

The current inquiry aims to prevent a repeat of those events by recommending stricter monitoring, mandatory pre‑dialysis HIV screening, and the provision of auto‑disposable syringes to all public renal units.