Infected blood transfusion at Odisha hosp: ELISA test confirms Hepatitis-C negative

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Sambalpur, Jun 17:

Amid allegations of transfusion of Hepatitis infected blood to a patient at Veer Surendra Sai Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (VIMSAR) in Odisha’s Burla, blood bank authority of the hospital Chittaranjan Prasad today informed that ELISA test report of the patient’s blood sample has confirmed the transfused blood to be Hepatitis-C negative.

Yesterday, the blood sample of the patient was collected once again for examination. While rapid test of the blood sample had showed it as Hepatitis-C negative, the ELISA report also came out with the same result.

“I did the rapid test myself yesterday and it was negative. ELISA test is usually done by Microbiology department of the hospital. As an earlier ELISA test report had showed blood sample as Hepatitis-C positive, it was decided to re-conduct the test by experts,” said Dr Kailash Agarwal, head of the committee probing into the incident.

Notably, the patient, a 60-year-old person from Brajarajnagar, was admitted to the hospital on June 12 for leg surgery. Another person hailing from Rairakhole was admitted to surgery ward of the hospital on June 9 due to stomach pain and he was allegedly transfused with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected blood. Efforts are on to collect the blood sample of the person.

After the whole matter of infected blood transfusion came to fore, a 4-member committee was formed under Pathology department head Dr Kailash Agarwal to probe the incident. The committee has been asked by hospital superintendent Braja Mohan Mishra to submit report within 72 hours. The committee has already submitted a preliminary report to the Health Secretary.