NEW DEHLI: Fourteen children in northern India have reportedly contracted hepatitis and HIV infections after receiving blood transfusions at local hospitals. These young patients, aged between six and 16 years, were undergoing treatment for thalassemia, a condition that impairs the body’s ability to produce haemoglobin and healthy blood cells.
The startling revelation came to light during screening tests at the Lala Lajpat Rai Hospital (LLRH) in Kanpur city, Uttar Pradesh. Dr. Arun Arya, the head of the paediatrics department at LLRH, spoke with the Hindustan Times earlier this week, detailing the distressing cases. Out of the 180 patients screened, seven tested positive for hepatitis B, five for hepatitis C, and two for HIV.
The LLRH hospital’s medical college swiftly denied the report, labelling it as “baseless” and asserting that Dr. Arya lacked the authorization to speak to the media. Despite this, Dr. Arya emphasized that the 14 children had received treatment at various facilities across the state before the infections were detected during the central screening at LLRH.
Children at greater risk
The children are already battling a serious issue and are now at a greater health risk, Dr. Arya expressed, highlighting the gravity of the situation. While it remains challenging to identify the exact source of the infections, he suggested that ineffective screening tests conducted on donated blood might be a contributing factor.
In response to the distressing situation, Dr. Arya stated that they had referred the hepatitis patients to the gastroenterology department and the HIV patients to the referral center in Kanpur. He also underscored the importance of ensuring that these children have been vaccinated against hepatitis B at the time of transfusion, a precaution that could have prevented this devastating outcome.
During a press conference, Dr. Sanjay Kala, the principal of the Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi Medical College affiliated with LLRH, stated, “Not even a single patient with HIV or hepatitis infection has been found here since 2019.” Dr. Kala further revealed that a letter had been sent to the state government, urging disciplinary action against Dr. Arya, who was present at the press conference but chose not to speak.
In the wake of this distressing news, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the state faced a barrage of criticism from opposition political leaders. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge labeled the allegations “an unforgivable crime” and decried the state government’s handling of the healthcare system, emphasizing the need for accountability and improvement. Akhilesh Yadav, a former Uttar Pradesh chief minister who leads the opposition Samajwadi Party, called for a thorough investigation and strict punishment for those found responsible for this tragic situation.
As the authorities grapple with these allegations and the affected children face an uncertain future, it becomes imperative to take swift and decisive action to prevent similar incidents in the future and safeguard the health and well-being of patients receiving blood transfusions in India.
