Expectant mother in India turns HIV positive after blood transfusion

Three hospital workers were suspended for not screening blood administered to the patient

A pregnant woman in India turned out to be HIV positive after hospital staff administered a noxious blood transfusion on her, Times of India reported on Wednesday.

Three hospital workers were held responsible for forgoing the blood screening process and were suspended at the Sattur government hospital.

Joint Director of Health Services Dr R Manoharan reported that a relative of the patient donated blood but that sample was stored by the hospital and the patient's blood requirement was fulfilled by blood stored which had been deposited by another donor at a private laboratory.



The selected donor was reportedly called and informed about his HIV positive status from the lab and thereafter the blood sample was traced. However, it had already been administered to a pregnant woman, who tested HIV positive.

Furthermore, it was found that the government hospital had known about his HIV status and but told him that he had a 'rare' blood type and he was summoned to the hospital.



"It should not have happened, we have initiated technical inquiries to find out how it happened. This will not be repeated," said Dr Senthil Raj, from Tamil Nadu Aids Control society.

Meanwhile, the pregnant woman and the man are receiving counselling and are given Anti Retroviral Drugs to stop the virus from replicating.

This article originally appeared in Times of India.