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LAHORE: An investigation team has alleged serious negligence by doctors and other staff of the Nishtar Hospital, where dozens of kidney patients have been infected with HIV/AIDS, according to officials.
The probe body was formed after reports that a patient suffering from kidney failure died while 30 others contracted Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)/Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) infections during dialysis treatment at the largest public sector hospital in south Punjab.
The fact-finding committee constituted by the Punjab government has confirmed the outbreak of HIV/AIDS in the hospital’s nephrology unit.
The committee included the Punjab Human Organ Transplantation Authority DG, Punjab Aids Control Programme project director, Services Institute of Medical Sciences head of nephrology, and an official of the Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education Department.
Probe body finds violations of guidelines, SOPs during dialysis; Nishtar university vice chancellor rejects findings
The official told Dawn that strict SOPs were followed in hospitals across the world in pre- and post-dialysis assessment.
These SOPs were violated by the Nishtar Hospital staff and serious negligence was identified by the committee.
The claim has been rejected by the Nishtar Medical University (NMU) vice chancellor.
The official told Dawn that universal precautions like ensuring that dialysis machines were sterilised properly and safe for blood transfusions were not followed, which may have led to the potential risks of spreading HIV.
The institute had not properly performed tests on patients for dialysis at the hospital for the past year.
Patients’ medical records were not documented as per the standard guidelines to ensure they were not carrying infections before starting dialysis sessions.
The official said infection control committees are a key part of hospitals’ patient safety programmes. The committee at Nishtar Hospital had not met for the last many months to assess the prevention and control of infections and ensure that the materials, products, and medical equipment were safe.
The report has been submitted to the provincial government for further action, the official said, adding that the transmission of HIV/AIDs at a tertiary care hospital has brought “bad name to the country”.
International health organisations have shown serious reservations over the lack of adherence to the standard guidelines for patients’ safety.
VC rejects findings
The NMU vice chancellor, Prof Mehnaz Khakwani, has rejected the committee’s findings.
She said the patients could have been infected at private clinics they visit for blood tests and screening. She ruled out the possibility that they were infected by dialysis machines at the Nishtar Hospital.
Prof Khakwani said the institute had taken on board the Aids Control Programme to review the SOPs further to avoid such incidents.
‘Scapegoat’
The official said that NMU’s top management and hospital administration were reportedly trying to make junior residents and nurses a “scapegoat”.
The postgraduate residents and the nursing staff of the nephrology department were being “pressured” into taking culpability for the negligence and submitting written apologies.
The official said that this was an attempt to “rescue” the head of the nephrology department and other senior medics of the university. There are also reports that Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif will visit the Nishtar Hospital in connection with the incident.
Published in Dawn, November 20th, 2024
