9-yr-old leukaemia patient gets HIV after transfusion

THE GIRL HAS BEEN UNDER TREATMENT AT THE RCC FOR LEUKAEMIA SINCE MARCH AND IN AUGUST SHE TESTED POSITIVE FOR HIV

Kerala has ordered a probe after a nine-yearold leukaemia patient tested positive for HIV infection allegedly after undergoing a blood transfusion at a top government hospital in Thiruvananthapuram.

State health minister KK Shailaja formed a team comprising experts from anti-retroviral therapy, pathology and blood bank. The minister said the state government would meet all expenses of further medical treatment of the girl. The police also questioned some employees and doctors of the Regional Cancer Centre (RCC) and seized medical records of the girl.

The girl has been under treatment at the RCC for leukaemia since March and in August she tested positive for HIV during routine blood tests. Her parents alleged that there was a deliberate attempt to conceal information about the infection. They said they found out about the infection accidentally.

“Doctors told us a surgery was needed but they kept on delaying it and started high-dose of antibiotics. Later we found in the medical report that the column regarding the HIV was left blank,” said the father.

He alleged that doctors advised the family to go for an HIV test and both parents tested negative but the girl was positive. Since the blood transfusion was done only at the RCC, the parents are convinced that she got infected at the cancer institute.

The parents said they would also approach the human rights commission. State opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala called on the girl on Friday and urged the government to book those responsible for the “criminal medical negligence.” The RCC later clarified that the girl was on chemotherapy since March 3 and since then 49 units of bold was given to her.

“The girl came for cancer treatment and now is HIV positive. I have spoken to chief ministerand told him about what has happened,” said Chennithala.

local court on Friday afternoon ordered “further investigation” into the rape case of the 10-year-old, who gave birth to a baby girl last month.

Allowing an application moved by the police requesting further investigation into this case after the blood samples of the newborn and the accused didn’t match, the court of additional district and sessions judge, Poonam R Joshi, orally pronounced the order. A detailed written order will follow. The matter will now come up for hearing on September 22. Station house officer of Sector 39 police station, where the case was registered, submitted the application on Friday.

HT had exclusively highlighted that the DNA report was negative and that ‘paternity of the accused was excluded’ from this case on Tuesday. The case has now ended up at the start again, with the cops groping in the dark following the findings of the CFSL report. Two months after the rape and pregnancy came to light and a month after the victim delivered amid immense fear, police are now trying to get hold of other suspects in the case.

SSP, Chandigarh, met the victim at her house on Thursday to gather clues about other possible accused in the case.