The baby born to the the Tamil Nadu woman who contracted HIV after she was transfused with infected blood by a government blood bank in Sattur tested negative for HIV. The test was taken 45 days after birth.
Speaking to TNM, the girl’s father said that he and his family are relieved that the baby has not got strains of HIV. “The first test result is clean. This was taken 17 days ago. The doctor has said that the next test will be taken six months after the baby’s birth,” the father said.
A 23-year-old pregnant woman tested positive for HIV after she was negligently transfused with HIV infected blood to her in December. The incident came to light after the man who had donated the blood informed the blood bank that he was HIV positive, which he discovered during a blood screening as part of a visa application process.
The incident sent shockwaves across the state. The pregnant woman was immediately admitted to Government Rajaji Hospital, Madurai for treatment and delivery of the child. She gave birth on January 17 and was continued treatment. Meanwhile, the doctors at Rajaji Hospital kept the baby under observation as there was a chance that they baby could have got the infection from the mother.
“The baby is already taking syrup and the doctors have told us to continue giving that to the baby till 84th day. Now, since the first test has come out negative for HIV, the doctors are confident that the next test will also be clean and have told us not to worry,” the baby’s father said.
Soon after the incident of negligent blood transfusion came to light, the then Health Secretary J Radhakrishnan rushed to Sattur and conducted an inquiry. The Tamil Nadu Health Department also terminated the services of three members of the staff, including a lab technician in the Sattur government hospital. An expert committee under Dr Sindha, senior blood bank officer at the Government Rajaji Hospital, was formed to investigate the incident.