KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) has ordered a high-level investigation into the spread of HIV among children receiving treatment at Kulsoom Bai Valika Hospital in Karachi.
A two-member bench, headed by Justice Adnanul Karim Memon and comprising Justice Muhammad Jaffer Raza, directed the Sindh government to form an inquiry committee led by the chief secretary and submit its findings within two months.
The committee will include two Grade-20 officers who have no administrative association with the hospital or the investigation, the court ordered.
The inquiry will examine the medical records of affected patients and determine how HIV was transmitted. Investigators have specifically been tasked with determining whether disposable syringes or other medical equipment were reused.
The committee will also scrutinise records concerning the purchase, storage and use of auto-lock syringes and assess the responsibilities of medical, nursing, technical and administrative staff.
The court further directed the committee to determine whether the Disposable Syringes Act or any other applicable law was breached. Investigators will have access to hospital records, relevant reports and CCTV footage.
If the inquiry establishes negligence or wrongdoing, the committee has been directed to recommend departmental and/or criminal proceedings against those responsible.
The court also ordered the Sindh chief secretary to ensure that all affected children receive uninterrupted and appropriate medical care. The provincial government or the relevant social security institution will be responsible for treatment costs, including medicines and diagnostic tests.
The SHC further directed authorities to determine compensation or other legal relief for affected children and their families and ensure that they face no discrimination. The court stressed that the children’s identities and medical information must be kept confidential in accordance with the law.
The chief secretary and health secretary were also instructed to ensure effective implementation of the Disposable Syringes Act and other relevant legislation.
The case follows confirmation by Sindh Labour Minister Saeed Ghani that at least 78 children had contracted HIV at the hospital, with six of them subsequently dying.
Lawyer issued contempt notice
During the hearing, the court also took notice of the conduct of the petitioner’s counsel, Tariq Mansoor, accusing him of encouraging people accompanying him to create a disturbance and allowing videos to be recorded inside the courtroom.
The bench observed that the disruption was serious enough for judges to retire to their chambers before proceedings could continue and said the lawyer’s conduct appeared prima facie to constitute contempt of court.
The SHC issued a show-cause notice to Mansoor, directing him to submit a written response and appear personally in the contempt proceedings.
The court also asked the Sindh High Court Bar and Sindh Bar Council to take appropriate legal action regarding the lawyer’s conduct.
