THIS is with reference to the reports about a dialysis centre in Nishtar Hospital, Multan, which is allegedly responsible for the spread of human immunodefic-iency virus (HIV) and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) among kidney failure patients. If this is indeed true, the dialysis centre has been responsible for criminal negligence of the worst kind.

The Punjab Health Department has constituted a fact-finding committee of senior doctors to probe into this serious criminal negligence on the part of the dialysis centre.

The committee’s terms of reference include taking history from maximum available HIV-infected patients. The committee will also be required to identify the loopholes in the system leading to the transmission of HIV, and fix responsibility for negligence, if any, by identifying the staff or doctor concerned.

If anyone does get identified as being responsible after a fair inquiry, the person should not only be dismissed from service, but criminal cases must also be registered.

Akbar Jan Marwat
Islamabad

Published in Dawn, December 9th, 2024