Six children undergoing treatment for thalassemia at a government hospital in Madhya Pradesh’s Satna district have tested positive for HIV, prompting disciplinary action against hospital staff and an official investigation into the blood transfusion process.
Following an inquiry, the state government has suspended a senior doctor and two laboratory technicians. A show-cause notice has been issued to the Chief Health and Medical Officer (CHMO), while a senior surgeon has been directed to submit a written explanation.
Deputy Chief Minister and Health Minister Rajendra Shukla said on Friday (December 19) that the action was taken based on the findings of a three-member inquiry committee comprising senior officials, including an IAS officer. The committee submitted its report to the government late on Thursday.
According to the inquiry, the children may have contracted HIV through infected blood donors, who were possibly family members or relatives of thalassemic patients and were treated at the hospital. The committee has recommended tracing the donors involved in the transfusions.
Officials acknowledged that identifying the donors could be difficult, as blood was sourced from multiple facilities over an extended period, making it challenging to match specific blood units with individual donors. Shukla said multiple departments, including the police, would be involved in the effort to trace the donors.
Separately, the Satna district administration has initiated action against an illegal blood brokerage racket operating near the district hospital, named after Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. Three persons identified as Ranjeet Sahu, Mohammad Kaif and Anil Gupta have been arrested in connection with the case.
Police are investigating whether any staff members from the hospital’s blood bank were involved in the illegal trade.
The HIV infections were detected on December 16 during routine testing of six children who require regular blood transfusions as part of their treatment for thalassemia.