Copyright news18
A major health scandal has emerged in Jharkhand’s Chaibasa, where thalassaemia-afflicted children contracted HIV after being given contaminated blood from a government hospital’s blood bank. An exclusive report by News18 revealed shocking medical negligence and showed that state authorities ignored repeated warnings from the central government dating back to 2021. At least six children are currently affected, raising serious concerns about lapses in the health system and the safeguards meant to protect vulnerable patients. Centre Had Warned Four Years Ago On January 13, 2021, the Union Health Ministry reportedly sent a speed-post letter to the state Drugs Control Directorate, urging immediate action against the Chaibasa Sadar Hospital blood bank, where HIV-positive blood had been transfused to thalassaemia-affected children. The letter flagged the issue as serious, raising concerns about the blood bank’s licence, location and other irregularities, and recommended corrective action. (News18 Hindi) Four Years Of Silence On The 2021 Letter According to the report, the central government’s 19-page letter detailed multiple flaws in the testing process at the Chaibasa Blood Bank. However, the state health department took no prompt action. The Union Health Ministry’s report was based on a joint inspection by central and state officials. Instead of responding immediately, the state’s Drug Control Directorate reportedly wrote to the Chaibasa Sadar Hospital Blood Centre only on May 28, 2025, nearly four and a half years later. (News18 Hindi) Children Exposed To HIV Instead of taking corrective action, the matter was reportedly reduced to a memo on the licensing and relocation of the blood centre. By not acting on the Union Health Ministry’s letter, the state effectively put thalassaemia-affected children in Chaibasa at risk. Reports suggest that expanding testing could reveal more HIV-positive cases among these children.
