Punjab [Pakistan], November 24 : Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has taken decisive action against the medical staff at Nishtar Hospital in Multan, following an alarming HIV outbreak among dialysis patients, attributed to gross negligence in adhering to infection control protocols.
The incident has been attributed to serious lapses in following the hospital's infection control protocols, leading to the suspension of the hospital's Medical Superintendent (MS) and several key staff members for criminal negligence, The Express Tribune reported.
The inquiry report confirmed that required standard operating procedures (SOPs) for infection control were not followed, directly contributing to the spread of the virus.
The suspended staff include doctors MS Muhammad Kazim, Ghulam Abbas (Head of the Nephrology Department), Poonam Khalid (Associate Professor), Mohammad Qadeer (Senior Registrar), Maliah Johar, Mohammad Alamgir (Medical Officer in Nephrology Ward), and Head Nurse Naheed Parveen.
Despite the confirmation of HIV cases, hospital staff reportedly attempted to conceal the outbreak, worsening the situation.
The most concerning aspect of the investigation was the reuse of disposable dialysis kits and dialysers on multiple patients, a practice which directly violated health and safety guidelines.
Additionally, senior doctors failed to conduct regular visits to the nephrology ward for several weeks, further contributing to the negligence. During her visit to Nishtar Hospital, Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz expressed grave concern over these lapses, calling the use of reused syringes a primary cause of the outbreak.
She stated, "We have ended a decade-long wait and unlocked a critical tool for keeping 1.5 degrees in reach," emphasising the urgent need for proper healthcare protocols to avoid similar incidents in the future, The Express Tribune reported.
The Chief Minister has ordered the Secretary of Health to take strict action under the Peda Act against the responsible officers, and she instructed the doctors to compensate the affected patients.
While the decision to suspend the medical staff has led to protests by hospital doctors and paramedical staff, the Chief Minister remains firm in her stance, calling for better implementation of healthcare protocols to ensure the safety of patients.
The investigation by the health department is ongoing, with a report yet to be submitted by the committee formed by Nishtar Hospital to probe the HIV cases among diabetic patients.