Pregnant woman in Tamil Nadu contracts HIV after transfusion, blood banks to be analysed

In a shocking case of medical apathy, a woman in Tamil Nadu who was eight-months pregnant contracted HIV allegedly after being transfused contaminated blood in a government hospital two weeks ago.

The 24-year-old mother-to-be required the blood transfusion for treatment of anaemia but it was claimed that HIV+ blood was transfused due to a callous mistake by the lab technicians of a blood bank attached to a government hospital in Sattur in Virudhunagar district in Southern Tamil Nadu.

Health Minister Dr C Vijayabaskar said that three lab technicians who were working on a temporary basis were dismissed and ordered an examination of stocks in all blood banks of the state. The woman and her husband had lodged an FIR against the doctors, the nurse and the blood bank officials at Sattur police station.

Talking to reporters, the woman’s husband held the Tamil Nadu government is responsible for the incident and demanded that it should provide the best treatment to her. 

Health Secretary J Radhakrishnan and Virudhunagar district officials visited and spoke to the woman. A detailed medical treatment is also underway for the woman to ensure the virus does not affect her foetus, the minister said, adding, the government is also giving all livelihood assistance to the family.

The case of a pregnant woman contracting HIV came to light when the donor was tested was HIV positive. The donor, after he was tested positive when he underwent a medical check-up for a job, visited the Sivakasi Government Hospital in the district, seeking his blood donation report. He was tested for the second time in the hospital which confirmed that he was HIV positive. When the officials traced his blood, it was found that it was used for a pregnant woman. Preliminary inquiry revealed that the blood bank officials had failed to carry out mandatory check-ups before supplying the blood to the hospital.

Terming the incident as “disheartening and shocking”, Dr Vijayabaskar said such a thing has never happened in the state so far. The Minister said a thorough probe into the incident was underway and promised stringent action against those found guilty. The state government said it was making all efforts to prevent the impact of the virus on the woman, and stocks in all blood banks would be reviewed to ensure that such incidents do not recur.