Four dialysis patients test positive for HIV at Mian Channu hospital

LAHORE: Four dialysis patients at Tehsil Headquarters Hospital (THQ) in Mian Channu have tested positive for HIV, prompting scrutiny over infection control measures at the healthcare facility in south Punjab. The three women who received dialysis at the hospital have been transferred to Nishtar Hospital Multan for further evaluation and treatment.

Hospital officials stated that over 60 patients were undergoing dialysis at the THQ hospital, and emphasized that HIV could not be transmitted through the dialysis process. They are currently investigating the matter. While officials have not confirmed additional cases, sources suggest that other dialysis patients might have tested positive as well.

HIV cases have been reported in various healthcare facilities in Punjab in recent years, with a significant outbreak at Nishtar Hospital Multan in 2024 resulting in multiple infections and one death due to complications. A subsequent government fact-finding committee found violations of dialysis guidelines and operating procedures, and the Punjab government initiated legal proceedings against officials and staff involved.

In March 2025, 106 children in Taunsa tested positive for HIV, leading the government to establish a screening and treatment center at the THQ hospital and impose action on local health officials. A joint mission comprising WHO, UNICEF, UNAIDS, and other organizations conducted door-to-door screening of approximately 50,000 people in the area, supplying auto-disable syringes to government hospitals, and sealing hundreds of unregulated clinics.

As of December 2025, the National AIDS Control Programme reported 84,421 HIV cases in Pakistan, with 60,785 individuals receiving antiretroviral therapy at 98 centers.