HIV blood transfusion to pregnant woman: 3 TN hospital employees dismissed

The services of three employees of the government hospital in Sivakasi have been terminated for the transfusion of HIV-infected blood to a pregnant woman in Sattur town government hospital. Criminal charges will be pressed against them for negligence of duty. After meeting the 23-year-old woman, Health Secretary J. Radhakrishnan, told the media that as per the request of her family, treatment would be given to the woman at a special ward in the Government Rajaji Hospital (GRH) in Madurai. “If the family is not satisfied with the treatment there, the Chief Minister has directed us to provide her treatment in a private hospital,” he said. The family members have insisted that the woman should be given best quality treatment for safe delivery of the baby. They also demanded the prevention of such negligence. Though the victim's husband said he did not want any government compensation, the Chief Minister had said that the family would be compensated and all efforts taken up to provide livelihood assistance to the family. Anti-retroviral therapy would be given to the woman to prevent the transmission of HIV infection to the infant. She would be given nutritional support and the infant would be given special care for six to 12 weeks post delivery, Mr. Radhakrishnan said. Blood donations in government and private hospitals were being done under the supervision of the Tamil Nadu State AIDS Control Society. The quality control of blood donation and storage were being done by an independent agency. “Every unit of blood donated is tested for HIV, Hepatitis-B, Hepatitis-C, syphilis and malaria. People need not fear that 'contaminated blood' would be given to the beneficiaries,” he said, adding that the present incident was unprecedented in the State. The woman will be shifted to the GRH on Tuesday. Source: The Hindu