Case against Hyderabad blood bank after 3-year-old patient tests HIV positive

Hyderabad, Aug 8:  Hyderabad police have filed a case against a blood bank after its alleged negligence resulting in a three-year-old thalassaemia patient testing positive for HIV.

The boy's parents lodged a complaint with Nallakunta police station that the blood bank transferred HIV-infected blood to him.

The child from Rampally village in Ranga Reddy district had been undergoing blood transfusions for the past 2.5 years at the Red Cross blood bank located in Adikmet.

He tested HIV positive when the treating doctor suggested a blood test following the blood transfusion on July 20.

The child's parents sought a detailed inquiry into the blood bank's negligence. The police have written to the Medical Board seeking its opinion and asked the blood bank management to submit the patient's records.

The child is said to be suffering from thalassemia since the age of seven months. The family used to approach the blood bank for blood transfusion every fortnight.

His parents told police that they have been visiting the blood bank regularly for blood transfusion and every two months the HIV test was done. So far, the result was never positive.

However, the doctors at the blood bank reportedly told police that on a few instances, the family had taken the child to other hospitals for blood transfusion. They also claimed that before collecting the blood from donors, they do several tests to ensure the blood donated is not infected.