Action demanded over deaths by HIV-infected blood in Punjab

Islamabad: National coordinator for the Safe Blood Transfusion Programme Prof Hasan Abbas Zaheer has demanded the immediate yet effective crackdown on the transfusion of unsafe blood into the people in Punjab to prevent life-threatening risks.

The demand comes amid reports about the death of a woman and her infant daughter in Vehari city after being administered HIV-infected blood. Prof Hasan told ‘The News’ that it was the responsibility of the Punjab Blood Transfusion Authority to ensure that such deaths do not happen. “The PBTA should ensure the start of criminal proceedings against the blood donor, who ‘knowingly’ infected the deceased and many others with HIV,” he said.

The SBTP coordinator said action was also needed to be taken against the blood banks, which collected blood from the HIV-positive donors without proper screening.

He said even if the HIV-infected blood was screened, then the procedure would be of poor quality for being carried out with the help of cheap manual kits, which didn’t detect infections.

Prof Hasan pushed the Punjab health department for ensuring the proper yet early regulation of blood banks functioning in the province saying this will ensure that no innocent person falls victim to HIV due to infected blood’s transfusion.