LAHORE: Following an inquiry into the outbreak of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)/Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) among 25 patients at the dialysis center of Nishtar Hospital Multan, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has approved disciplinary actions against several staff members.
According to official sources, four employees were penalized while three were acquitted of all charges. The Chief Minister rejected the inquiry officer’s recommendation to remove the Vice Chancellor of Nishtar Medical University but approved a one-year service forfeiture for the VC.
Additionally, the head of the Nephrology Department has been compulsorily retired, while one doctor’s annual increment has been withheld and another has been demoted by three years in grade. Meanwhile, two female doctors and one male doctor were cleared of all allegations.
The provincial government has stated that the action underscores its commitment to accountability and patient safety in public hospitals across Punjab.
In November 2024, a patient had passed away, while 30 others contracted the HIV/AIDS during dialysis treatment at Nishtar Hospital in Multan.
Multan Police later identified 30 to 35 individuals, including hospital staff, allegedly involved in tampering with the medical records of kidney patients who tested positive for HIV/AIDS. However, the police were not authorized to investigate the medical professionals.
In January 2025, the chief minister ordered disciplinary proceedings under the Peeda Act against Nishtar Medical University Vice Chancellor Dr. Mehnaz Khakwani, four doctors, and a staff nurse for negligence in the incident.
