Stating that a detailed investigation is in progress into transfusion of HIV-infected blood to a pregnant woman, K. Senthil Raj, Project Director, Tamil Nadu State AIDS Control Society, said lacunae in the process of blood collection and follow-ups on HIV-infected patients would be fixed.
“We have a foolproof system in place. However, if the investigation throws up any loopholes, we will fix them,” he said, after visiting the pregnant woman at Government Rajaji Hospital here on Thursday.
He also visited the blood donor, who is under treatment at the hospital after he attempted suicide on Wednesday.
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He was responding to a question on the allegation that the 18-year-old blood donor was diagnosed with HIV infection when he donated blood as part of a group nearly two years before, but no efforts were made to intimate the youth. Officials from Health and Family Welfare Department indicated that his details might not have been recorded properly.
‘Trained staff’
Conceding the possibility, Mr. Senthil Raj said the blood collection mechanism followed in donation camps would be strengthened.
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He, however, refuted the allegation that engaging contract staff resulted in inefficiencies in the system. “Though they are on contract, they are properly trained employees of TANSACS,” he said.