HIV blood transfusion at Odisha hospital: Probe committee formed

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Sambalpur, Jun 16:

A day after the incident of transfusion of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis infected blood to two patients at Veer Surendra Sai Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (VIMSAR) in Odisha’s Burla came to fore, a 4-member committee was formed today to probe the matter.

Pic Courtesy: www.wired.com
Pic Courtesy: www.wired.com

The committee, which is being headed by Pathology department head Dr Kailash Agarwal, has been asked by hospital superintendent Braja Mohan Mishra to submit report within 72 hours. Meanwhile, the committee submitted a preliminary report to the Health Secretary today.

According to reports, two elderly patients were transfused with HIV and hepatitis infected blood earlier this month. A 70-year-old person hailing from Rairakhole here was admitted to surgery ward of the hospital on June 9 due to stomach pain. He underwent operation on June 13. Due to lack of haemoglobin in his blood, it became necessary to transfuse blood to his body during the operation.

A relative of the patient donated blood for the old man but due to lack of blood units at the hospital, the former’s blood was transfused to the patient’s body. Later, ELISA test of the blood revealed that it was HIV infected.

Similarly, a 60-year-old person of Brajarajnagar was admitted to the hospital on June 12 for leg surgery. The blood with which he was transfused was hepatitis infected, a blood test report revealed.

“There was lack of blood units in the blood bank for which the relatives of the patients had to donate blood. As blood transfusion was vital for the patients, rapid tests were done and transfusion was allowed after blood samples were tested HIV and hepatitis negative,” said Dr C.R. Prasad, head of transfusion medicine department of the hospital.

However, information at the e-blood bank website of the hospital revealed that the blood which was transfused to the person from Rairakhole was tested HIV positive.

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