Jharkhand BJP demands removal of health minister in blood transfusion case

Ranchi, Nov 3 (PTI) The Jharkhand unit of the BJP on Monday demanded the removal of Health Minister Irfan Ansari over an incident in which five thalassemia-affected children were allegedly infected with HIV following blood transfusions in West Singhbhum district.

Party workers staged demonstrations outside Sadar hospitals across the state, raising slogans against the JMM-led alliance government.

In the state capital, the BJP’s Ranchi Mahanagar Committee held a dharna on the premises of Sadar Hospital, which was attended by senior leaders, including Ranchi MLA C P Singh.

"The health of the health department has deteriorated in Jharkhand. It is very unfortunate that thalassemia-affected children were transfused HIV-infected blood. Stern action should be taken against those responsible," Singh told reporters.

He alleged that the state government was neglecting public healthcare while focusing on "collecting money".

"The health minister is busy awarding contracts to his relatives and collecting money. We demand that he be removed from the health department immediately," the BJP leader said, adding that the issue would also be raised during the upcoming winter session of the assembly.

The family of a seven-year-old thalassemia patient had alleged on October 24 that the local blood bank in Chaibasa, the district headquarters town of West Singhbhum, had transfused HIV-infected blood.

A five-member medical team from Ranchi carried out an investigation on October 26, and it found four more children tested HIV positive after being transfused HIV-infected blood.

Addressing an election rally in Ghatsila for the upcoming bypoll, Jharkhand BJP president Babulal Marandi demanded a CBI probe into the case.

He accused the JMM-led government of being "insensitive and careless" towards the health of the poor in the state.

"The party held protests across the state and submitted a memorandum to the governor through respective deputy commissioners regarding the blood transfusion incident. In the memorandum, we demanded that the governor recommend the removal of the health minister and conduct a probe into the case by a sitting judge of the high court or CBI," Marandi said.

He claimed that the Centre had written to the state government on January 13, 2021, requesting an investigation into the condition of blood banks in the state.

"The central government had stated that blood banks in the state were operating illegally. There is trading of blood. Many blood banks are running without licenses. In such a situation, a serious investigation should be conducted," Marandi alleged. PTI SAN CORR SAN MNB