DNA
30 August 2009

A laboratory owner was arrested for allegedly collecting blood from donors without proper tests and supplying it to a nursing home in Rajasthan’s Sriganganagar district, even as the government ordered a probe into the case amid charges that the blood was HIV infected.

Police said a complaint was registered with Anoopgarh police station in Sriganganagar district, 484 km form here, on August 26 accusing a laboratory and a nursing home of transfusing HIV infected blood to patients.

Laboratory owner Hetram Goyal was arrested yesterday, while the owner of nursing home Dr Bharat Bhushan is at large, they said.

Meanwhile, the government today ordered a probe into the matter by a committee of joint director medical and health department, Bikaner and chief medical and health officer (CMHO) of Ganganagar. The report is expected tomorrow.

Earlier, sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) and Block CMHO (Chief Medical and Health Officer) of Anoopgarh after investigating the matter had found several irregularities, including failure to check the blood for any infection at the time of donation and transfusion.

“A man, who was reportedly donating his blood at the laboratory, tested positive of HIV few days back but has denied that he donated blood, and submitted an affidavit to this effect,” an official of medical and health department said, adding, the two children who were said to have received his blood three months ago have tested negative for HIV.

“Statements of parents of the children, who are said to have received the blood, suggest that illegal transfusion has taken place,” Anoopgarh SDM, Gaurav Chaturvedi, said.

“District headquarter is about 120 kms away and Bikaner city is some 150 kms from the town. As there is no blood bank in Anoopgarh, blood for patients in critical condition used to be collected through the accused.”

“Now, it’s a matter of detailed investigation that how many patients received blood through illegal process,” Chaturvedi said.

About the probe ordered by Medical and Health minister, Aimaduddin Ahemad, Director of Medical and Health Department, OP Gupta said, “A probe committee has been constituted to investigate the charge.

“SDM and Block CMHO have already looked into the matter. Based on both the reports (committee and SDM-BCMHO), we will recommend the Rajasthan Medical Council to take action.”

A case was registered against the accused under Section 420 (cheating) and 269 (negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) of IPC, he said.