Jodhpur: Over 20 children suffering from
Thalassaemia have tested positive for HIV and Hepatitis C
allegedly after transfusion of infected blood at a government
hospital here, two years after a similar incident had prompted
an inquiry by the Rajasthan Government.
Terming it as a case of negligence, Union Health
Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said that the state government was
responsible in the case.
While three children were found infected with HIV in
May after they were tested at S N Medical College, another 17
tested positive for Hepatitis C virus, the Marwar Thalassaemia
Society claimed. Two more children were infected with
hepatiatis B.
Hospital officials said that a three-member committee
had been formed by the hospital to enquire into the matter.
"It is a case of negligence. It is the responsibility
of the state government to take proper precautions," Azad said
in Srinagar.
At least five children were infected with HIV and 29
with Hepatitis at the same hospital in December 2008 following
transfusion of infected blood after which the state government
had constituted a committee headed by the Director of State
AIDS Control Society R N D Purohit who had suggested the need
for reforms in blood donation process.
Secretary of Thalassaemia Society Vipin Gupta claimed
that no action was taken on the report.
"Had the step been taken on the recommendation of that
committee, we would not have had these new HIV infections," he
said.
However, principal of S N Medical College, R K Aseri
said that a proposal for introducing the advanced Nucleic Acid
Test (NAT) technique has already been sent to the state
government.
According to Gupta, the present technique being used
in testing the blood during donation is Enzyme Linked Immune
Substrate Assay (ELISA), which has a window period-- the
period of time between HIV infection and the production of
antibodies-- of two to eight weeks.
During the window period, an antibody test may give a
false negative result.
"When we have the technology called NAT, which has a
window period of three to seven days, how can we allow the
children to be infected with HIV and hepatitis," he said.
Gupta demanded early introduction of NAT technique
and setting up of a fully equipped and staffed Thalassemia
ward.
-PTI
