VIRUDHUNAGAR: The 23-year-old pregnant woman — who was transfused with blood donated by an HIV+ person at the Sattur General Hospital — on Wednesday lodged a police complaint against the medical staff involved, for negligence.
Meanwhile, the government on Wednesday formed a special team under Dr M Sindha, Head of the Department of Transfusion Medicine at Government Rajaji Hospital to probe into the incident.
State Health Secretary Dr J Radhakrishnan said that the government had already started revamping the blood safety protocol. A draft, he said, would be ready in the next 45 days and once implemented, would help avoid such cases in the future.
The woman, in her petition, mentioned that she came down with fever soon after the blood transfusion.
“But the doctors there said I would be fine and discharged me on December 5.” Again, I suffered from fever, stomach pain and diarrhoea. I went to the same Sattur GH on December 17 and gave my blood samples for test. It was confirmed that I was HIV+ but they did not inform me. Instead, they referred me to the Virudhunagar Government Hospital. It was the doctors there who confirmed that I was HIV+,” she stated.
Later on Wednesday, the woman was shifted to a specially created ward at the Government Rajaji Hospital. Health Secretary Radhakrishnan reviewed the arrangements made at the GH and said that as per the orders of Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami, a preliminary inquiry was conducted on Tuesday. “The woman’s husband has put forth three demands to the government — advanced medical treatment, preventing the spread of infection to the foetus and prevention of such similar incidents in the future,” he said.
Donor tries to kill self
The HIV+ blood donor attempted suicide on Wednesday at Ramnad. For help to overcome suicidal thoughts, call 104, TN’s health helpline