Nishtar Doctors Defend HIV Patient Surgery Amid Controversy
News Desk
Multan: In a strong defence of emergency surgical practices at Nishtar Medical University, senior doctors have rejected allegations of negligence during an operation performed on an HIV-positive patient, insisting that all internationally recognised safety protocols were strictly followed.
The clarification came during a press conference at Nishtar Hospital in Multan on Monday, where Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) Multan President and Head of Surgery Professor Dr Masood ul Rauf Hiraj firmly stood by the surgical team and challenged authorities to conduct an independent international-level inquiry.
Dr. Hiraj said an expert committee should be formed under global medical standards to review the case, adding that he would accept full responsibility if even “one percent negligence” was proven. “If negligence is established, reinstate the suspended junior doctors and dismiss me instead,” he declared.
He stressed that emergency surgeries do not require prior HIV testing and that established protocols were followed throughout the procedure. According to him, the risk of HIV transmission in surgical environments is extremely low when proper precautions are taken.
“The transmission risk is about three in a thousand cases, and the virus cannot survive outside the human body for long,” he said, adding that standard sterilisation procedures eliminate any possibility of cross-infection. He further noted that Hepatitis B presents a higher occupational risk than HIV in clinical settings.
Dr. Hiraj also warned that what he described as “misinformation and negative propaganda” surrounding the case was discouraging HIV-positive patients from seeking timely medical care.
Read More: https://thepenpk.com/inquiry-launched-after-surgery-on-hiv-positive-patient/
He added that the surgical ward had been on continuous duty for nearly 30 hours at the time of the emergency operation, underscoring the pressure under which the procedure was conducted.
PMA Multan General Secretary Dr. Imran Haider Qaisrani supported the explanation, stating that the patient had previously tested HIV-negative in an earlier procedure. He said the surgery was performed last on the operation theatre list and that full sterilisation protocols were implemented afterwards.
Dr. Qaisrani also rejected claims circulating on social media that 27 patients had been infected, calling the allegation “completely false and misleading.”
Meanwhile, PMA Punjab Vice President Dr. Rizwan Sharif called for improved healthcare infrastructure, recommending the establishment of dedicated infectious disease centres and HIV control units across Punjab to better manage such cases.
The PMA has demanded the immediate reinstatement of suspended staff and warned of legal action against individuals spreading what it termed misinformation regarding the incident on traditional and social media platforms.
