HIV Outbreak in Pakistan Killed Boy, Infected 331 Children
Mohammed Amin was only eight years old. He died shortly after testing positive for HIV. His fevers were so bad that he slept in the rain. His mother, Sughra, says he writhed in pain “like he’d been thrown in hot oil”.
A Mother’s Grief
His ten-year-old sister Asma now kneels at his graveside. “He used to fight with me, but he also loved me,” she says. Not long after her brother contracted the virus, Asma also tested positive for HIV.
Contaminated Needles at a Government Hospital
The family believes both children got the virus from injections. Contaminated needles were used during routine medical treatment. The hospital was THQ Taunsa in Punjab province.BBC Eye has identified 331 children who tested positive for HIV in the city. The infections happened between November 2024 and October 2025.
A Dangerous Practice That Continued
A private doctor first linked the outbreak to the hospital in late 2024. Local authorities promised a “massive crackdown”. They suspended the hospital’s medical superintendent in March 2025.However, a BBC Eye investigation found that dangerous injection practices continued months later. During 32 hours of undercover filming in late 2025, we witnessed syringes being reused on multi-dose medicine vials. This happened on ten separate occasions. The practice could contaminate the drugs inside.
