6 thalassemic kids test HIV+ after getting ‘infected’ blood

Six children suffering from thalassemia have contracted HIV after they were allegedly administered infected blood during transfusions ata hospital in Jharkhand’s West Singhbhum district, prompting the state government to order a high-level investigation and suspend the civil surgeon and other officials concerned, officials aware of the matter said on Sunday.

- Debashish Sarkar

The Jharkhand high court has taken suo motu cognisance of the incident and sought a report from the health secretary.

The development comes days after a seven-year-old thalassemia patient, who had received a blood transfusion ata local blood bank in Chaibasa town on September 13, tested HIV positive during a followup teston October 18. His family later filed a complaint againsta blood bank technician, alleging negligence. A five-member medical team subsequently launched an investigation and confirmed similar infectionsin five more children.