Pakistan: Hospitals putting children at risk of HIV

This BBC documentary investigates a devastating HIV outbreak among children in Thonsar, Pakistan, where over 300 children tested positive for HIV between November 2024 and October 2025. The investigation centers on Tehsil Headquarters Hospital (THQ), a government facility where parents report their children were repeatedly injected with reused syringes and shared medicine vials—practices that experts confirm could easily transmit blood-borne viruses like HIV. Undercover footage reveals nurses injecting patients without gloves, reusing syringes, and double-dipping into multi-use vials, despite official claims of reform. The local government’s response has been criticized as inadequate: key officials were suspended but quickly reinstated, and banned volunteers returned to work. Despite a joint task force involving UNICEF and WHO, evidence shows unsafe practices continue. The episode highlights the systemic failures in Pakistan’s public health system—underfunding, staff shortages, and cultural preference for injections over oral medication—while also exposing the deep stigma faced by HIV-positive children like 10-year-old Asma, who dreams of becoming a doctor despite her illness. The story underscores a tragic paradox: hospitals meant to heal are now endangering lives. The documentary delivers a powerful indictment of institutional neglect and the human cost of medical negligence. It calls for urgent reform in infection control, better training, and a shift from injection-based treatment to safer alternatives. While some improvements have been made—such as the introduction of auto-lock syringes—the denial and lack of accountability from hospital leadership undermine progress. The episode ends on a note of quiet resilience, as Asma continues to fight both her illness and social isolation, symbolizing the enduring hope of children caught in a broken system.