Salem woman alleges she received HIV infected blood

Allegation found to be cent percent false: Health Dept.

A woman from Salem has alleged that she contracted HIV following a blood transfusion four years ago.

However, the Health Department in Salem has denied the allegation of a woman from Kunjandiyur village, near Mettur, that she tested HIV positive a few years ago after a blood tranfusion done at the Primary Health Centre (PHC), Mecheri town, during her first pregnancy in 2014.

“All the medical records of the donors and blood transfusion done to the woman were closely pursued now and the allegation has been found to be cent per cent false,” K. Poongodi, Deputy Director of Health, told

The Hindu.

The 28-year-old woman, wife of a lorry driver of Kunjandiyur, told certain private television news channels that she tested HIV positive due to blood transfusion done at the PHC, Mecheri.

The woman claimed that when she was again subjected to mandatory testing during her second pregnancy in 2015 at the same Primary Health Centre, she tested HIV positive.

“This was due to the transfusion of HIV infected blood at the Primary Health Centre during the first pregnancy,” she alleged.

Doctor refutes

When contacted, Dr. Poongodi said that during the first pregnancy the woman was suffering from severe anaemia, requiring transfusion of blood.

The blood procured from the mother blood bank at the Government Headquarters Hospital at Mettur, was given to her then, Dr. Poongodi said.

Due to other reasons, she had contracted HIV infection in 2015, Dr Poongodi alleged.

She said that senior officials and doctors cross-checked all the records containing details of the blood donors at the relevant period and have found all of them to be HIV negative.

“The blood received from the donors then was subjected to mandatory testing for HIV, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Malaria, and syphillis at the blood banks functioning in the government hospitlas. No HIV infection was found at any point of time,” Dr. Poongodi contended.

The woman’s husband too was not having HIV infection.

Dr. Poongodi said the affected woman was undergoing Antiretroviral therapy treatment regularly at Omalur GH.