Fact-check: Viral video does not show rats roaming inside Civil Hospital Quetta; it's from India

Reverse image search found the video shared by Times of India, showing rats in Gonda Medical College

Multiple users, including Pakistani journalists, have been sharing a video on social media platforms X and YouTube since May 21, 2026, claiming it shows rats roaming inside Civil Hospital Quetta. However, the clip is from Gonda Medical College in Uttar Pradesh, India.

How it started

On May 21, Pakistani actor Asad Malik shared a video on X showing rats roaming inside a hospital with the following caption: “Civil Hospital Quetta. This is the state of our government hospitals.”

The post gained 63,000 views.

Renowned Pakistani anchorperson Mubashir Lucman also shared the same video on X on May 22, 2026, with the caption: “Civil Hospital Quetta. Got this absolutely scary video on a WhatsApp group. Will someone take notice?”

The post gained 40,100 views.

Nayeema Mahjoor, a fiction writer and journalist, also shared the same video on X in a similar context with the following caption: “This is like a Hantavirus breeding ground. Where is the health minister?”

The video was also shared by other users on X and YouTube with the same claim, as seen here, here, here, here, here, here, and here.

Methodology

A fact-check was initiated to determine the veracity of the claim due to its virality and keen public interest in the matter.

A reverse image search, conducted to trace the source of the footage, yielded the same video shared by mainstream Indian media outlet Times of India on its Instagram account on January 16, 2026.

 

 

 

 

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According to the caption, the video shows rats roaming freely in the orthopaedic ward of Indian Uttar Pradesh’s Gonda Medical College.

A further keyword search yielded the same video covered by several other Indian media outlets, such as Times Now, Times of India, and Telegraph India on their websites.

According to the news reports, the video was shared by Congress on its X account on January 14, 2026.

यूपी के गोंडा मेडिकल कॉलेज का नजारा देखिए 👇

यहां इंसानों के वॉर्ड में चूहों की मौज जारी है। मोटे-पतले, गोल-मटोल... तरह-तरह के चूहे यहां-वहां फुदक रहे हैं।

जैसे मेडिकल कॉलेज का ये वॉर्ड इंसानों का नहीं- चूहों का है। pic.twitter.com/mmw1gAAjA4

— Congress (@INCIndia) January 14, 2026

As per the Times Now report, the hospital administration took action after the video went viral, with an inquiry ordered. A special team was also formed to investigate how rodents were able to access the ward and move around critical areas, including oxygen pipelines.

The search also yielded a Facebook post by Jist, an Indian digital news and media platform, dated January 15, 2026. According to the caption, the viral clip was reportedly recorded by patients and raised concerns about hygiene and safety.

Fact-check status: False

The claim that a viral clip shows rats roaming freely in Civil Hospital Quetta is false.

The video is from January 2026 and shows Uttar Pradesh’s Gonda Medical College in India.

This fact check was originally published by iVerify Pakistan — a project of CEJ-IBA and UNDP.