331 Children Infected With HIV in Pakistan Due to Reused Syringes

An undercover investigation by BBC News has revealed that unsafe injection practices at a government hospital in Pakistan led to at least 331 children testing positive for HIV between November 2024 and October 2025.

The investigation focused on THQ Taunsa Hospital in the Punjab province, where hidden filming captured staff reusing syringes on multi-dose vials of medicine on 10 separate occasions over 32 hours of recording. In four of these instances, medication from the same vial was administered to different children, creating a clear risk of viral transmission.

Footage showed medical personnel handling injections without sterile gloves, picking up used syringes containing leftover liquid, and passing them to colleagues for reuse — practices that breach fundamental infection control standards. The hospital’s medical superintendent had been suspended in March 2025 following initial reports of the outbreak, but the unsafe procedures continued months later.

Local physician Dr. Gul Qaisrani first noticed an unusual spike in pediatric HIV cases in late 2024, prompting further investigation. Of the 97 families tested during the inquiry, only four mothers were HIV-positive, indicating that mother-to-child transmission was unlikely to be the primary cause of most infections.

The outbreak has drawn international concern over hospital hygiene and patient safety in resource-limited settings. Health experts emphasize that such incidents are preventable with strict adherence to sterile injection protocols, proper sterilization of equipment, and safe disposal of medical waste.

As of January to March 2026, Sindh health department data reported 329 children among 894 total HIV cases in the province, underscoring the ongoing burden of pediatric HIV infections linked to healthcare exposure.

The World Health Organization and UNAIDS continue to advocate for strengthened infection prevention and control programs in healthcare facilities worldwide, particularly in regions where outbreaks like this one reveal systemic gaps in medical safety oversight.