Two Delhi hospitals under scanner for HIV transmission

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Two Delhi hospitals under scanner for HIV transmission

New Delhi, March 29: The capital's two top state-run hospitals came

under scanner after two patients allegedly were infected by HIV after

blood transfusion. While the All India Institute of Medical Sciences

(AIIMS) has denied the charge, a court here asked the Safdarjung

Hospital to provide free treatment to the infected patient.

The family of a 17-year-old girl Wednesday alleged that she died

Monday from HIV-related complications after blood transfusion at the

AIIMS.

Yogesh Chauhan, father of the deceased girl, Jyoti, alleged that she

contracted HIV after contaminated blood transfusion during her

treatment at the AIIMS for dengue fever in November 2006.

" It is complete negligence on the part of AIIMS, which gave her the

infected blood, " Chauhan, an auto-driver, told media persons.

However, AIIMS Medical Superintendent D.K. Sharma said, " There is

zero chance of HIV infection at AIIMS. We have all the facilities and

blood transfusion at our institute is 100 percent reliable.

" It's a misinformed campaign. "

AIIMS clarified that Jyoti was admitted to the hospital on Nov 2,

2006, through the casualty ward. " The girl tested HIV positive during

her treatment on Nov 4 and it was conveyed to the family, " Sharma

added.

" At that time, she had loose motions, pain in the abdomen, blood in

her stools and vomiting with a history of having received

tuberculosis treatment in 2005-06, " AIIMS chief spokesman Shakti

Gupta said.

" During the course of investigations, since she was suffering from

the Crohn's disease which is associated with immune system

dysfunction, her blood was tested for HIV (1+2) anti-bodies on Nov 4

and she was found to be HIV positive, " he said.

The patient was again admitted March 11 with symptoms of respiratory

distress under the department of medicine.

" Two days later she was shifted to the intensive care unit. She died

on March 26 with the cause of death being Acute Respiratory Distress

Syndrome with sepsis with refractory shock with bilateral severe

pneumonia with HIV(+), " Gupta added.

He said it is evident that the patient was HIV positive at the time

of her initial hospitalisation in November even before the platelet

transfusion was given to her due to dengue.

" In the hospital blood bank, all blood and blood products are being

tested for all infectious markers as per guidelines of the National

Blood Transfusion Council, including HIV.

" P-24 antigen testing is done, which is a very sensitive test and

therefore it is not practically possible for anyone to get HIV

infection through transfusion of blood or platelets from AIIMS, " he

added.

Meanwhile, a similar case turned up before the Delhi High Court

Wednesday that directed the government to bear the cost of treatment

of a child, who was allegedly inflicted with HIV after blood

transfusion in the Safdarjung Hospital.

While disposing of the petition with the directions, Justice B.D.

Ahmed said: " The government should bear all expenses including for

the treatment of the patient. "

Naseem Ahmed, a resident of a village near Ranchi in Jharkhand, had

filed a petition seeking direction to the government for free

treatment and to meet other expenses of his nine-year-old child,

Faizan, who had been under treatment for the past five years.

Ahmed's counsel Sugriv Dubey said in his petition that Faizan was

being treated at a Ranchi hospital for anaemia. He was referred to

the AIIMS here for further treatment in 2002.

The AIIMS, however, had refused to treat him and sent him to the

Safdarjung Hospital across the road.

The petition alleged that the child was given HIV-infected blood

without scanning the same during the blood transfusion in the

hospital.

Authorities, however, deny the allegation saying that the hospital

had a proper mechanism to scan the blood given to patients.

Bureau Report

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