Pakistani police holding doctor for allegedly spreading HIV

Pakistani police say a court will allow a doctor with HIV and AIDS to remain in police custody for two more days to determine whether he knowingly spread HIV to over 150 people, mostly children, by using contaminated syringes.

Local police chief Wasim Raja Soomro said Monday that Dr. Muzaffar Ghangharo was detained last week, and has denied the charges.

Soomro said the initial investigation indicates the doctor had intentionally spread HIV since early April while treating patients for the common cold, diarrhea and other diseases.

He said the outbreak was detected when patients with HIV symptoms began coming to a state-run hospital in the southern town of Larkana.

Pakistan’s Health Ministry has registered over 23,000 HIV cases.

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