Press release: Child infected with HIV through blood transfusion in Kerala

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Press release (24th November, 2005):(Total pages 1,including this)

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Child infected with HIV through blood transfusion in Kerala

INTERNATIONAL BODY CALLS ON KERALA GOVERNMENT TO REGULATE BLOOD BANKS

Kochi, Kerala: 24th November , 2005: Countess Albina du

Boisrouvray, president of the Swiss based International Non

Governmental Organisation, Association François-Xavier Bagnoud

(FXB), expressed concerns over a one and a half year young child

getting HIV infection in Kerala through contaminated blood

transfusion.

" I am shocked by this avoidable incident " said Countess Albina, who

is currently in Kerala. " It is time to do a reality check " ,

" The provisions of the Drugs & Cosmetics Rule " need to be

stringently enforced, she said. Section 1945 of Drugs cosmetics

(Amendment) Rules 2001 deals with blood safety.

" A similar situation was reported from France several years ago. But

it prompted the government to put stringent monitoring mechanism in

place " . Added Countess Albina.

FXB International , that works on HIV/ AIDS in over 17 countries.

FXB India works in 35 states of India, including Kerala state with

programs addressing the HIV/AIDS.

The countess appealed to the Kerala Government to urgently assess

the levels and factors associated with 'deferrable risk behaviors'

among voluntary blood donors.

" There is a need to review the effectiveness of the present blood

donor deferral system to keep the blood transfusion safe " said the

Countess. Today's system is based on the goodwill of the donor to

disclose personal health risk factors.

A consistent supply of HIV-free blood is a universal concern among

blood transfusion services. Blood safety problem has occurred even

in developed countries. Blood donations during the 'window period'

form the main source of transfusion-linked HIV infection. The

success of a blood transfusion system relies on effective donor

recruitment and retention plans, as well as an effective deferral

strategy. Developing an effective `deferral'- the decision,

arising from discussion with staff of blood donation centres, not go

on with donating blood is the key to maintain blood safety in blood

donation settings.

FXB International offered its international experience and expertise

to the Kerala Government to develop an effective system to monitor

and exclude `deferrable risk behaviours' - behaviours that would

have been a basis for deferral if reported at the time of the donor

screening interview in Kerala.

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About FXB International: FXB International works in 17 countries

deploying 87 projects to fight the AIDS pandemic. FXB lobbies at the

highest levels for the millions of AIDS orphans and vulnerable

children who do not have a voice and who cannot demand the

implementation of their rights as spelled out in the Convention on

the Rights of the Child. FXB India works in the 35 states of India

with programs addressing the HIV/AIDS pandemic. For more

information: www.fxb.org