Chaibasa (Jharkhand), Oct 25 (PTI) A five-member team from Ranchi on Saturday visited Chaibasa, the headquarters of Jharkhand’s West Singhbhum district, to investigate allegations that HIV-infected blood was transfused to a seven-year-old thalassemia patient by the local blood bank, a senior health official said.
The victim was tested HIV-positive over a week ago, District Civil Surgeon Dr. Sushanto Majhee told PTI.
Majhee said the government-constituted probe team visited Sadar Hospital and the blood bank in Chaibasa as part of their investigations.
Majhee, however, did not divulge details as probe was still underway.
He also did not elaborate who headed the probe team.
The matter came to light on Friday after the child’s family blamed the blood bank for tranfussion of contaminated blood.
Around 25 units of blood has been transfused since the child started visiting the blood bank.
Following the allegation, a three-member local committee headed by Dr Minu, District Reproductive and Child Health (DRCH) officer, was formed to probe the matter.
The committee is expected to submit its report soon after a thorough inquiry, Majhee said.
The civil surgeon added that blood donors whose samples were used for the child’s transfusions would be examined before arriving at any conclusion.
“The boy, who hails from a rural area under Manjhari police station limits, has tested HIV-positive. However, it would be premature to state that the infection resulted from blood supplied by the bank,” Majhee said.
He said HIV infection could also occur due to other factors, including exposure to contaminated needles. PTI BS MNB
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