Dialysis machine fault: AIDS transmission fears at Nishtar Hospital

MULTAN: A state of malfunctioning has been detected at Nishtar Hospital Multan dialysis ward where the South Punjab Additional Chief Secretary visited to inquire about the malfunctioning of the dialysis machine. However, the doctors technically satisfied him but he ordered initiation of inquiry into the transmission of HIV and AIDS to dialysis patients.

Senior doctors at Nishtar, on the condition of anonymity, told The News that the poor patients move to private dialysis clinics due to malfunctioning and disorder of dialysis machines after failing to get treatment at the hospital. The private clinics do not have properly sterilised machines and dialysis patients easily fall victim to HIV and other transmittable viruses.

The senior doctors said that the dialysis ward at Nishtar Hospital roughly dealt with such HIV and AIDS carrier patients and instead of conducting their screening before dialysis, created an ample environment to spread the virus through non-screening of blood and unsterilized dialysis machines. The negligence may cause loss of lives in terms of an increase in HIV-positive patients after dialysis of an HIV carrier. The virus spread from a dialysis machine to other patients, leading to dozens undergoing dialysis from the infected machines, according to doctors.

The senior doctors said that nobody may predict how many patients have been infected with HIV through dialysis machines and where the number of HIV-infected patients will stand.

Thirty HIV-positive patients have been reported at Nishtar Hospital’s dialysis ward in Multan. However, Dr. Kazim Khan, the hospital’s Medical Superintendent (MS), has strongly denied that 30 or more patients have contracted HIV at the hospital. He clarified that the hospital routinely treats HIV-positive patients on dedicated dialysis machines and that all patients undergo thorough screening before treatment.

MS Khan explained that the recent incident involved a patient who had previously tested negative for HIV but was later found to be positive. An inquiry committee has been formed to investigate the matter.

“About 29 machines are fully operational in the dialysis unit. A dialysis machine for hepatitis B has been damaged during repair. About 13 machines are rendering Hepatitis C service. Two machines are reserved for HIV patients. More than 240 dialysis patients are registered currently,” the MS added.