Undercover footage exposes how hospital reused syringes sparked an enormous outbreak.

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Undercover footage exposes how hospital reused syringes sparked an enormous outbreak.

3 min learnApr 17, 2026 06:02 PM IST

An investigation by the BBC has uncovered alarming lapses in medical security at a authorities hospital in Pakistan, the place unsafe injection practices are believed to have contributed to a surge in HIV infections amongst youngsters.

Based on BBC Eye, no less than 331 youngsters in Taunsa, Pakistan, Punjab province, have examined constructive for HIV between November 2024 and October 2025.

Amongst such victims is an eight-year-old Mohammed Amin, who later died. Many households allege the infections had been brought on by contaminated needles used throughout routine therapy on the Tehsil Headquarters (THQ) Hospital.

What the investigation discovered

Undercover footage gathered by the BBC over 32 hours in late 2025 exhibits syringes being reused on multi-dose vials on a number of events, elevating the danger of cross-contamination. In a number of circumstances, medication from the identical vial was administered to totally different youngsters. Specialists warned that even changing the needle doesn’t eradicate the danger if the syringe physique is contaminated, the report stated.

The investigation additionally discovered violations of primary hygiene protocols. Employees had been seen administering injections with out gloves dozens of instances, whereas improper dealing with of medical waste was additionally noticed. Infectious illness specialist Dr Altaf Ahmed described the practices as “violating each precept of injecting medication.”

Unsafe practices regardless of suspension

The report added that after a health care provider at a personal clinic linked the outbreak to the hospital, referred to as THQ Taunsa, in late 2024, native authorities promised a “large crackdown” and suspended the hospital’s medical superintendent in March 2025.

Regardless of earlier assurances of reform, together with the suspension of THQ Taunsa Hospital’s medical superintendent Dr Tayyab Farooq Chandio, in March 2025, the BBC discovered that unsafe practices persevered months later. Hospital authorities have disputed the findings, suggesting the footage could also be outdated or staged, and sustaining that the power is secure.

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Chandio was changed by Buzdar, who instructed the BBC that HIV was his “principal focus” when he took the job in March 2025 and that he had a “zero tolerance” coverage for unsafe an infection management.

“We carried out coaching programmes for the paramedics and workers nurses on learn how to stop and defeat HIV. Crucial half is our part on an infection prevention management. They’ve been correctly educated on this,” he was quoted as saying.

Information analysed by BBC Eye signifies that contaminated needles had been listed because the doubtless mode of transmission in additional than half of the circumstances. Crucially, only a few moms of contaminated youngsters examined constructive, ruling out mother-to-child transmission generally.

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