Head of Nephrology Department Dr Abid Hussain removed, directed to report to Lahore.
Rahim Yar Khan - An inquiry committee has recommended strict action against several officials of Sheikh Zayed Medical College and Hospital after alarming revelations surfaced regarding the hospital’s dialysis center. Despite discovering an HIV-positive patient undergoing dialysis at the center 11 months ago, the administration failed to disclose the information and continued treating the patient alongside other individuals. This gross negligence has raised concerns about the potential spread of the disease among other patients.
A four-member inquiry committee, formed by Deputy Commissioner Khurram Parvez and led by ADC (General) Irfan Anwar, submitted its findings after thorough investigation. The report recommended action against current, former, and acting medical superintendents (MS), as well as the head of the nephrology department, the additional principal medical officer (HIV/AIDS focal person), a staff nurse, and a computer operator. Surprisingly, the principal of Sheikh Zayed Medical College and Hospital, Dr. Saleem Leghari, was exonerated.
In immediate actions ordered by the Secretary of Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education, Punjab, Dr Abid Hussain, Head of the Nephrology Department, has been removed and directed to report to Lahore. Dr Arjun Lal, the HIV/AIDS focal person, has been suspended, with proceedings initiated under the Punjab Employees Efficiency, Discipline, and Accountability (PEDA) Act, 2006. Other implicated officials are expected to face disciplinary measures today.
On January 2, 2024, a patient named Nadeem undergoing dialysis in the hospital’s dialysis ward was declared HIV-positive by the pathology department. The MS office was informed, but critical lapses followed. The HIV/AIDS center’s in-charge, Dr. Arjun Lal, and computer operator Muhammad Tariq failed to issue alerts regarding the patient’s status. Consequently, the patient continued to receive dialysis alongside others, raising fears of transmission among other patients. Following media coverage of the incident two days ago, Deputy Commissioner Khurram Parvez took immediate notice and constituted the inquiry committee. Members included Dr. Ghazanfar Shafiq (CEO Health), Dr. Adil Rehman (Rescue 1122 In-charge), and Professor Dr. Zafar. Their investigation exposed severe administrative flaws and a lack of coordination among key departments, including the MS Office, Pathology Department, HIV/AIDS Center, and Nephrology Department.
The hospital blatantly ignored protocols outlined in Section 11 of the Punjab Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act, 2020. There was a complete lack of professional communication among departments. Successive MS officers, including former MS Dr. Agha Tauheed, current MS Dr. Rao Ajmal, and interim MS Dr. Imran Bashir, were aware of the issue but failed to act. Head of Nephrology, Dr. Abid Hussain, neglected to pursue pending HIV reports, and staff nurse Kausar disregarded dialysis protocols, endangering other patients. The inquiry report revealed that 208 patients are registered at the dialysis center. Testing of 207 patients returned negative results for HIV. However, civic groups have urged the Secretary of Health to conduct independent tests on at least 100 of these patients at a different laboratory to confirm the findings.
There are fears that even a few undetected cases could lead to widespread HIV transmission among dialysis patients.
The Secretary of Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education is expected to visit Rahim Yar Khan today to further investigate the matter. Sources indicate that disciplinary actions may also be extended to individuals who were overlooked in the initial inquiry report.
This incident has highlighted severe lapses in protocol compliance, administrative negligence, and professional misconduct, raising serious questions about the hospital’s ability to safeguard patients from infectious diseases.
