Hyderabad: The Nallakunta Police has booked the Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS) located in Hyderabad’s Adikmet after a thalassemia-afflicted three-year-old boy tested positive for HIV allegedly after undergoing a blood transfusion at the blood bank.
Based on the complaint of the toddler’s parents, a case under Section 338 (causing grievous hurt by endangering life) has been registered against the Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS), reported TOI.
Nallakunta police inspector M Ravi said that they are investigating whether the blood bank is guilty of medical negligence. “The IRCS officials claim that they have records of blood donors, who can be summoned for verification and the error did not happen at their end," said Ravi added as quoted by TOI.
The baby, suffering from thalassemia, has been undergoing blood transfusions at IRCS for the past 2.5 years and was brought to the centre every fortnight. In July, when the boy was taken for a periodic blood transfusion, an HIV test was performed as per the procedure. And, to the shock of his parents, he tested positive for the disease. Subsequently, his parents approached the Nallakunta police station, lodged a complaint against IRCS and sought a detailed inquiry into the blood bank’s alleged negligence.
Meanwhile, police have written a letter to the Medical Board asking for its opinion and also to the management of the blood bank asking them to submit the patient’s records."The parents claimed the boy underwent blood transfusion at IRCS for two-and-half years and they haven’t taken him to any other blood bank. So, IRCS was to be blamed for supplying HIV+ blood," said Ravi as quoted by TOI.