HIV probe

Children contracting HIV while receiving treatment at a public hospital is a deeply disturbing development that cannot be allowed to pass as another instance of administrative negligence. The allegations emerging from Karachi's Kulsum Bai Valika Hospital, if established, point to a serious breach of the most basic standards of medical care. A hospital is expected to heal, not become a source of a lifelong infection.

The Sindh High Court has rightly ordered a high-level inquiry to establish how the infections occurred and determine the actual number of those affected. Some reports suggest that more than 10,500 people have reportedly been screened, with 120 testing positive for HIV, while much higher numbers have been cited before the court. The truth must be established without ambiguity, and the families affected deserve nothing less. Of particular concern are allegations that syringes were reused. The Sindh government has taken some steps in response, including screening, treatment and disciplinary action against doctors and staff. A Rs2 billion endowment fund has also been established for affected children and their families. But rather than addressing the consequences of the crisis, the government should answer the question of how it was allowed to happen. The inquiry should not merely identify the person who may have reused a syringe. It must establish whether hospital management maintained proper infection-control procedures and whether supervisory authorities were fulfilling their responsibilities. If negligence is found at more than one level, accountability must follow accordingly. The affected children, meanwhile, must remain the priority. They deserve free and uninterrupted treatment, financial assistance and protection from discrimination. Their privacy must also be safeguarded.

Ultimately, however, there must be accountability. If the inquiry establishes that basic medical safeguards were ignored and that this negligence caused children to contract HIV, those responsible must face strict punishment. A suspension or show-cause notice cannot be considered sufficient where negligence has potentially caused lifelong harm.