News Desk
MULTAN: An alarming outbreak of HIV at Multan’s Nishtar Hospital has been traced back to a single patient within the hospital’s dialysis unit, raising serious concerns about patient safety and hospital protocols. According to a statement from the hospital spokesperson, one of the 240 registered dialysis patients tested positive for HIV, and this individual became the source of the virus’s transmission within the unit.
The spokesperson revealed that the patient in question was not isolated or placed on a separate dialysis machine, which is a standard precaution in medical settings to prevent cross-contamination. This lapse in procedure appears to have played a significant role in the spread of the virus among other dialysis patients.
The hospital’s failure to implement adequate isolation protocols has prompted further scrutiny, as dialysis units are known to be particularly vulnerable to such outbreaks due to the shared equipment and procedures involved. In response to the outbreak, the hospital has initiated a comprehensive re-screening process for all registered dialysis patients. This effort aims to identify others who may have been exposed to the virus and to contain any further spread of the infection.
An inquiry committee has also been set up to investigate the situation more thoroughly. The committee’s primary objective is to track down the original HIV-positive patient and determine the full scope of the outbreak, which will help guide the hospital’s next steps in managing the crisis. The committee’s findings are expected to clarify the total number of affected individuals, including both those who have contracted the virus and those who may have been exposed but remain uninfected.
