The National Human Rights Commission has issued a notice to the Rajasthan Health Secretary, returnable in four weeks, on reports alleging that due to infected blood transfusion three child patients of thalassaemia have been infected with HIV and 17 with Hepatitis-C at Ummed Hospital in Jodhpur, Rajasthan.
‘No NEUT test'
The Commission, which took up the case suo motu based on a Hindi newspaper report, pointed out that the relatives of the patients had alleged that the State Government had not provided facilities for the NEUT test even after five months. The test is necessary to diagnose infection in blood. Neutrophils are mobile white blood cells that capture foreign particles and bacteria.
The newspaper report had alleged that a number of thalassaemia patients had become victim of infected blood transfusion in the past as well in the State.
The NHRC observed that the contents of media report, if true, raised serious issue of violation of human rights of the child patients.
