J’khand 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 several 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.

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.

BJP’s Seraikela-Kharswan and West Singhbhum units also staged demonstrations outside the Sadar hospital and submitted memorandums to Governor Santosh Kumar Gangwar through their respective deputy commissioners. PTI SAN CORR SAN MNB