Jharkhand CM Suspends Surgeon, Other Officials After 5 Kids Test HIV-Positive From Blood Transfusion
An investigation is underway, revealing discrepancies at the blood bank. The government will provide financial aid and cover treatment costs.
Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Sunday ordered the suspension of the West Singhbhum district Civil Surgeon and other responsible officials following reports that five children suffering from thalassemia tested HIV-positive after receiving blood transfusions.
The case came to light after the family of a seven-year-old thalassemia patient alleged that the local blood bank in Chaibasa, the district headquarters, had provided HIV-infected blood. During a follow-up investigation by a five-member medical team from Ranchi, four more children were found to be HIV-positive.
“Instructions have been given to suspend the Civil Surgeon of West Singhbhum along with other concerned officials following reports of HIV-infected blood transfusions to children suffering from thalassemia in Chaibasa. The state government will provide financial assistance of ₹2 lakh each to the families of affected children and will cover the full treatment costs of the infected children,” Soren posted on X.
Probe and Investigation
The state government immediately formed a medical team to investigate how the child received contaminated blood. Officials said the seven-year-old had received around 25 units of blood since first visiting the blood bank.
West Singhbhum District Civil Surgeon Dr Sushanto Majhee had noted that the child tested HIV-positive over a week ago, adding that infection could also occur through other factors such as contaminated needles.
The investigation team, led by Director (Health Services) Dr Dinesh Kumar, inspected the blood bank at Sadar Hospital and the paediatric ICU ward, collecting details from children undergoing treatment. Dr Kumar said, “Initial investigation indicates that contaminated blood was transfused to a thalassemia patient. Some discrepancies were detected in the blood bank during the probe, and the officials concerned have been directed to resolve them.”
The district currently has 515 HIV-positive cases and 56 thalassemia patients. The probe team includes Dr Shipra Das, Dr S S Paswan, Dr Bhagat, District Civil Surgeon Dr Sushanto Majhee, Dr Shivcharan Hansda, and Dr Minu Kumari.
Political Reactions
Congress leader Rakesh Sinha welcomed the government’s swift action, saying, “Suspending senior officials and announcing ₹2 lakh compensation for affected families is a positive step. However, there must be a thorough investigation into how HIV-positive blood ended up in the blood bank and went unchecked. The BJP, which previously governed the state, should not politicize the matter given their own past failures in healthcare, such as oxygen shortages leading to child deaths. The focus must remain on the children’s safety and well-being, not political point-scoring.”
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