HIV Infection After Surgery Triggers Probe at Nishtar Hospital Multan

A patient at Nishtar Hospital in Multan has tested HIV-positive following a surgical procedure, triggering a formal investigation into infection control and sterilisation standards at one of Punjab's largest public hospitals. The case has alarmed health authorities and raised urgent questions about the safety of surgical equipment and blood handling protocols at the facility.

Nishtar Hospital is a major tertiary care institution that serves millions of patients from southern Punjab. An HIV infection acquired through surgery points to a serious systemic failure, whether in the sterilisation of instruments, blood transfusion screening, or broader theatre hygiene. Authorities have been called upon to identify the precise point of transmission.

The probe has been initiated by Punjab health authorities, with officials expected to review the patient's surgical record, the instruments used, and the broader infection control environment of the ward where the procedure was conducted. Similar contamination incidents at Pakistani hospitals in the past have exposed deep structural weaknesses in public healthcare.

Public health experts have called for immediate disclosure of findings, contact tracing if other patients were exposed to the same procedural environment, and accountability for any lapse identified. The case is likely to intensify demands for mandatory accreditation and infection control audits across all public hospitals in Punjab.