HIV-contaminated blood given to children infected with Thalassemia in Satna:Authorities hunt for untraced donor amid public concern; Dy CM orders probe

Due to negligence at the blood bank of Satna District Hospital, four children suffering from thalassaemia were transfused with HIV-positive blood. The incident is said to have occurred four months ago, but has only now come to light. The children are aged between 8 and 11 years. They suffer from thalassaemia and require regular blood transfusions. Tests conducted at the ICTC revealed that all the children were initially HIV-negative, but later reports showed them as positive. Following this, an investigation into the source of the infection was initiated. Repeated transfusions increase risk Dr Devendra Patel, in charge of the blood bank, stated that children with thalassaemia undergo multiple transfusions. Some children have received 70, 80, or even 100 transfusions. In such cases, the risk of HIV infection is higher. Based on this, an inquiry is underway to determine during which transfusion the infection occurred. Blood sourced from multiple locations According to Dr Patel, blood for these children was not only provided by the district hospital but also from Birla Hospital (Rewa) and other districts in Madhya Pradesh. All associated blood donors are being identified and investigated. The parents of the children have also been tested and found to be HIV-negative. Established standards followed before blood collection Dr Devendra Patel explained that specific standards are followed for blood donation. Blood is collected only from donors aged over 18 years, weighing at least 45 kg, and with haemoglobin above 12 grams. Before donation, a basic health check and screening for HIV and other infections are conducted. He added that previously, testing was done using rapid kits, but now ELISA technology is used to detect antibodies. This test can identify antibodies formed within 20 to 90 days, but infections during the initial “window period” may still go undetected. The sensitivity of the testing kits is also under review. Possibility of infection in other patients Following the detection of infection in these four children, there are concerns that HIV-contaminated blood may have been transfused to other patients. Pregnant women and other patients also received blood from the same blood bank, some of whom have not returned for retesting. Considering the seriousness of the case, Collector Dr Satish Kumar S has requested a detailed report of the entire incident from the CMHO. Difficulty in tracing donors According to the blood bank management, around 50 percent of the blood donors have been tested so far, but the exact source of infection has not yet been identified. The biggest challenge in the investigation is incorrect phone numbers and incomplete addresses, making it difficult to trace donors.