Four persons have tested positive for HIV after they were transfused blood at a government-run hospital in Assam, sparking off protests.
The matter has came to light on the World Blood Donor Day on Friday. All four of them claimed they received blood from a professional donor at the Mangoldoi civil hospital in Darrang district. The state government immediately ordered a probe, to be conducted by additional chief secretary PP Varma.
A statement from the chief minister’s office said four persons were infected while health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma put the number at two.
One of the victims alleged that he was forced by hospital authorities to buy blood from the professional donor. “I was suffering from malina and required blood. So, I arranged a donor but the hospital authorities forced me to buy blood from the man,” he alleged. The donor said he had donated blood only on four occasions. “Every time my blood was tested,” he claimed. “If I was a HIV-positive, why did they not tell me at the outset?” he asked.
