LAHORE: An inquiry committee constituted by Nishtar Medical University has found nine doctors and hospital officials guilty of misconduct and violation of screening protocols in a case involving surgery on a patient who was later found to be HIV-positive, prompting disciplinary action by the Punjab government.

According to the inquiry report sent by Nishtar Medical University’s vice chancellor to the Punjab Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Department on May 22, disciplinary proceedings were recommended against the officials under the Punjab Employees Efficiency, Discipline and Accountability (Peeda) Act 2006.

Acting on the inquiry findings, the Punjab health department suspended Senior Registrar (surgery) Dr Fariha Ahmed and Staff Nurse Rida Zahra. Dr Shahbaz Anwar, Medical Officer Dr Mohammad Ali Jan and Dr Muhammad Naeem Akhtar were also suspended with immediate effect over incompetence and mismanagement.

In addition, the government suspended the FCPS Chemical Pathology training of Dr Sania Saeed, the MS General Surgery training of Dr Irsa Arif and the FCPS Orthopaedic Surgery training of Dr Akhtar.

Under Section 7 of the Peeda Act, all responsible officials were suspended on administrative grounds and directed to report immediately to the Punjab Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Department.

The inquiry report available with Dawn stated that the committee was constituted following allegations that a patient underwent surgery at Nishtar Hospital without mandatory HIV screening protocols being fully observed.

The committee held several officials responsible for failing to communicate, upload, verify and act upon the patient’s HIV screening report before surgery.

According to the report, Dr Fariha was found responsible for failing to perform the mandatory post-operative round on May 19 and for not informing senior officials regarding the report in time.

Zahra was found responsible for failing to report the HIV findings to the concerned authorities, including the head nurse.

Dr Anwar, demonstrator and admin registrar at Nishtar Lab, “failed to coordinate” with the surgical ward administration and failed to check the delay in uploading the HIV report on the hospital portal.

The inquiry report further stated that Dr Sania, also a pathology PGR, failed to timely communicate the HIV ELISA report to the surgical unit.

Dr Akhtar and surgery PGR Dr Irsa were accused of “performing surgery without checking the mandatory checklist as per protocol”.

The report also held Dr Jan, an anaesthesia medical officer, responsible for not checking the HIV report before administering anaesthesia induction.

Similarly, Dr Abu Zer of the anaesthesia department was accused of conducting the pre-operative ward round and declaring the patient fit for surgery without verifying the mandatory HIV report.

Dr Umer, a postgraduate resident (PGR) in the pathology department, was accused of failing to document the HIV report to the authorities concerned, not coordinating with the surgical ward administration and failing to upload the HIV report on the portal.

The incident had triggered concern among healthcare workers after the patient was reportedly operated upon before completion of mandatory HIV screening procedures, raising questions about compliance with infection-control protocols at the hospital.

Punjab Health Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique has said negligence in treatment and patient care at hospitals would not be tolerated, and strict action would be taken against those responsible.