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Pakistan hospital investigation reveals 331 children HIV-positive
A BBC investigation has uncovered severe infection control failures at the THQ Tausa hospital in Tausa, Punjab, Pakistan. Data from provincial screening programs, private clinics, and leaked police records indicate that 331 children tested positive for HIV between November 2024 and October 2025.
Undercover footage spanning 32 hours at the end of 2025 revealed medical staff reusing syringes for multiple patients and using the same vials to administer medication to several children. The investigation also documented 66 instances where staff, including a doctor, administered injections without wearing sterile gloves.
While the hospital's medical director was suspended in March 2025 following initial reports, the investigation suggests dangerous practices continued. Analysis of 97 HIV-positive children and their families showed that only four mothers were positive, suggesting the virus was likely transmitted through medical procedures rather than mother-to-child transmission. The current hospital director, Kasim Buzdar, has disputed the authenticity of the undercover footage, claiming it may have been edited or filmed before his tenure.
Entities
Altaf Ahmed · BBC · Kasim Buzdar · Punjab · THQ Tausa Hospital
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 3 SOURCES] The new hospital director, Kasim Buzdar, disputed the authenticity of the footage. opserver.mk · skopje1.mk · makfax.com.mk
- [● 3 SOURCES] Medical staff at THQ Tausa hospital reused syringes when administering medication. opserver.mk · skopje1.mk · makfax.com.mk
- [● 3 SOURCES] 331 children tested positive for HIV in Tausa, Punjab, between November 2024 and October 2025. opserver.mk · skopje1.mk · makfax.com.mk
- [● 3 SOURCES] Undercover filming recorded 10 instances of syringe reuse and 66 instances of staff giving injections without sterile gloves. opserver.mk · skopje1.mk · makfax.com.mk
- [● 3 SOURCES] A BBC investigation revealed serious infection control failures at a hospital in Pakistan. opserver.mk · skopje1.mk · makfax.com.mk
- [● 3 SOURCES] Of 97 HIV-positive children whose families were tested, only four mothers were positive for the virus. opserver.mk · skopje1.mk · makfax.com.mk