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In a shocking case of medical negligence reported from Jharkhand’s Chaibasa town, five children have tested HIV-positive. These children were Thalassemia pateints. Family of a seven-year-old child alleged that the local blood bank in Chaibasa had transfused HIV-infected blood. A five-member medical team from Ranchi is probing into the matter. Jharkhand government formed a medical team to determine how the children received contaminated blood. As per the officials, around 25 units of blood has been transfused since the child started visiting the blood bank. District Civil Surgeon Dr Sushanto Majhee, however, said the child had tested HIV-positive over a week ago. He added that HIV infection could also occur due to other factors, including exposure to contaminated needles. The five-member team, led by Director (Health services) Jharkhand, Dr Dinesh Kumar, inspected the blood bank at Sadar Hospital and the pediatric intensive care unit ward, collecting details from children under treatment. Dr Kumar mentioned that some discrepancies were found in the blood bank during the investigation and directed the officials to address them. “Initial investigation indicates that contaminated blood was transfused to a thalassemia patient. Some discrepancies were detected in the blood bank during the probe, and the officials concerned have been directed to resolve them,” Kumar said. Currently, West Singhbhum district has 515 HIV-positive cases and 56 thalassemia patients. The probe team, headed by Kumar, includes Dr Shipra Das, Dr S S Paswan, Dr Bhagat, District Civil Surgeon Dr Sushanto Majhee, Dr Shivcharan Hansda, and Dr Minu Kumari.
