Use of infected- smuggled - Indian blood in Bangladesh

[Guest guest]

Use of infected Indian blood. 16 border dists at risk of HIV/AIDS

BSS, Dhaka

People of the country's northwestern border districts are at risk of

being infected with HIV/AIDS as they are using smuggled Indian

unscreened and infected blood for treatment.

Expressing the apprehension, the Centre for Development Service

(CDS), in a recently conducted study, said smuggling of contaminated

blood bags into the country by a vested racket through the long

porous border for treatment is posing a serious thereat to public

health.

According to the study, 16 bordering districts and their neighbouring

ones are vulnerable to the sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and

deadly HIV/AIDS as ignorant people of the areas have been unknowingly

taking the unscreened bloods for treatments at different clinics and

hospitals.

These blood bags are mostly coming from AIDS and poverty- stricken

regions of India, the CDS, a Bogra-based non-government organisation

campaigning against STD and AIDS, said.

The bordering districts starting from Kurigram to Satkhira are under

threat of the STD and HIV/AIDS, the study said. The neighbouring

districts of the border districts are also vulnerable to the threat,

it said.

The study also revealed that entrance of a large number of truck

drivers across the border and their subsequent meeting with the sex

workers have posed threats to aggravate the situation, which, the CDS

said, so far remained under control, but might go beyond control if

strict preventive measures are not taken.

The intravenous use of drugs that is considered one of the main

reasons for the spread of HIV and AIDS has made the situation more

complex, the study said. Massive uses of infected syringes by the

drug abusers, mostly the youngsters of the areas, might transmit the

diseases to others in many ways.

India, which is likely to overtake South Africa in number of HIV/AIDS

positive cases by next three years, has become a great concern not

only to its neighbours but also for other nations of the region.

According to an international journal, due to high prevalence of

HIV/AIDS positive cases in India, the neighbouring countries should

take immediate steps to prevent the communicable disease at the very

beginning before affecting them.

According to an unofficial source, about 2,60,000 unit of blood bags

are required annually in the country for transfusion or treatment of

patients. To meet this requirement, only 70,000 bags come from the

donations of the patients' relatives and non- professional donors.

The professional blood donors, majority of whom suffer from jaundice,

STDs and other deadly infections, sale 1,40,000 bags and the

remaining shortfall of about 50,000 bags are considered to be

fulfilled from across the border.

The new nation:

http://www.nation-online.com/200208/06/n2080605.htm#BODY1

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[Guest guest]

Dear,

It is really panic even today that we can not make arrangement of our Own

blood. Any way, we at Baroda, Gujarat are running blood bank and if needed,

we can work out the ways by which the part of demand of tested blood can be

fulfilled by us. If the blood is real concern, then, we are ready to help

you out.

Dr. Vijay Shah

Indu Blood bank,

Kothi,Vadodara

E-mail:<dhrutis@...>

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