HC informed about how patients are given blood in Jharkhand

Ranchi, Nov 11 (PTI) A non-profit organisation on Tuesday informed the Jharkhand High Court that, according to the existing system in the state, blood is provided to a patient in lieu of one unit of blood donated by his or her attendant.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan and Justice Rajesh Shankar was hearing a public interest litigation on a recent incident in which contaminated blood transfusion led to children contracting HIV in Chaibasa and Ranchi.

Atul Gera, secretary of the non-profit body, ‘Life Savers Ranchi’, alleged in the court that despite its order, there has been no significant change in the way blood is being provided by blood banks.

"Whenever a unit of blood is required, a donor has to provide a unit to replenish the stock," Gera said.

The state government counsel informed the high court that the authorities are conducting blood donation camps to increase the stock.

The advocate also said that, as per the earlier direction of the bench, a report has been prepared for the incident in Chaibasa where children were allegedly administered contaminated blood.

The high court had pulled up the state government after news of contaminated blood transfusion among children in Sadar Hospital Chaibasa came to the fore.

The court had ordered a report to be made to inquire how infected blood was transfused without proper screening.

The case will again be heard on November 19.

Five children, who were thalassemia patients, had come to Sadar Hospital in Chaibasa for their treatment which included transfusion of blood. They were transfused blood on different dates in August and September this year. During tests later, they were found to be HIV positive, and this has been accepted by the government recently.

Another similar incident had occurred in Sadar Hospital in Ranchi in August this year. The matter was reported by the child's father to the Chief Justice through a letter, who instituted it as a PIL. PTI CORR NAM NN