The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in Delhi has taken suo motu cognisance of media reports over the transfusion of HIV-infected blood to a pregnant woman and the eventual suicide attempt of the blood donor and has issued notice to the Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary seeking her explanation for medical negligence.
Right to Life
Observing that a nationwide move was required to be taken to examine the procedures so that Right to Life of the innocent people was not violated, the NHRC also directed the Secretary of the Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare to call for a status report on the issue, from all the State governments and Union territories and submit a report within six weeks along with their comments.
The Commission has called for a detailed report on the matter, including action taken against the guilty and relief/ counselling provided to the victims, within four weeks.
The Commission also observed that the “contents of the media reports, if true, amount to violation of human rights of the victims of medical negligence.”
“As reported, had proper action been taken by the authorities when the donor was first recognised as a case of HIV-positive, the mishap could have been avoided. Now, both the donor and the recipient woman are passing through trauma,” the Commission noted.
