Health authorities have launched an urgent inquiry into the Landhi Social Security Hospital following reports of multiple HIV-positive cases among patients undergoing dialysis. Sindh’s health department stepped in after families alleged that poor sterilization protocols and the reuse of medical equipment led to the transmission of the virus.
The investigation, confirmed by provincial health officials on Wednesday, aims to determine if basic infection control standards were ignored. For patients already battling chronic kidney failure, the news is catastrophic. Families are now demanding accountability, claiming the facility—meant to be a sanctuary for workers—became a source of further trauma.
“We go there for life-saving treatment, not to contract a lifelong disease,” said one relative of a patient, speaking on the condition of anonymity while waiting outside the hospital gates. “The lack of transparency is almost as bad as the infection itself.”
Sindh Health Minister Dr. Azra Pechuho has directed a specialized team to audit the hospital’s dialysis unit. The probe will examine procurement records for disposable kits and interview nursing staff about daily operational procedures. If the findings confirm negligence, hospital administrators could face immediate suspension.
This isn’t the first time Sindh’s public health infrastructure has faced scrutiny over infectious disease control. In 2019, hundreds of children in Ratodero tested positive for HIV, a disaster later linked to the reuse of syringes by local practitioners. While the scale at Landhi is currently smaller, the implications for the Sindh Employees Social Security Institution (SESSI) are severe.
Hospital management remains largely silent. A spokesperson for the facility declined to comment on the specific number of patients affected, citing “ongoing internal reviews.”
The department is expected to submit its preliminary report within 48 hours. For those currently tethered to the hospital’s dialysis machines, the audit offers little comfort—only a looming question of whether the next session will be safe.
