The man from Tiruchi whose two-year-old daughter turned HIV positive allegedly after undergoing treatment at three government hospitals, including Coimbatore Medical College Hospital (CMCH), petitioned the Coimbatore District Collector on Thursday, seeking the right treatment for the child and action against CMCH authorities.
The petitioner alleged that the child was infected with HIV (human immuno-deficiency virus) after a blood transfusion at CMCH in July 2018. CMCH Dean B. Asokan had refuted the charges and said the child was administered with 50 ml of red blood cells (RBC) that had tested safe. He had said that HIV transmission was impossible through RBC transfusion.
It was on Tuesday that the Tiruchi native alleged that his daughter tested HIV positive. He said she had undergone treatment at the Government Hospital in Tiruchi, where she was born in March 2017, the Government Hospital in Tirupur on July 11, 2018 and the CMCH on the same day for a cardiac problem.
Meanwhile, R. Meenakshi of Coimbatore HIV Ullor Nala Sangam, questioned Dr. Asokan’s statement that RBC transfusion would not pass on the HIV to the receiver. “If that is a proven fact, will doctors come forward to use RBC separated from the blood donated by those infected by HIV,” she asked.
Ms. Meenakshi said the child should be treated well and her parents protected by the State Government.
Following the incident, Director of Medical Education A. Edwin Joe had sought an explanation from Dr. Asokan into the allegations on behalf of the Health Secretary.
Inquiry
Sources from the Tamil Nadu State Aids Control Society said that it was also conducting an inquiry into the allegations as the Blood Bank at CMCH came under its control.
