14 Children Contract HIV, Hepatitis During Blood Transfusions
Written by Shaveta Arora, Arushi Sharma
Fourteen children in Kanpur, suffering from thalassemia and undergoing essential blood transfusions, have been infected with Hepatitis B, C, and HIV.
A Kanpur medical facility has reported 14 children who contracted Hepatitis B, C, and HIV during blood transfusions, exacerbated by their thalassemia-related health issues, which necessitated the transfusions.
The Lala Lajpat Rai Hospital reported an infection, possibly due to insufficient viral testing procedures for donated blood, though identifying the source could be challenging.
Arun Arya, head of pediatrics department at LLR and nodal officer for this centre, said this is a cause for concern and shows the risks blood transfusion involves. "We have referred the hepatitis patients to the gastroenterology department and the HIV patients to the referral centre in Kanpur."
Focus on Routine Testing and Blood Transfusions for Thalassemia Patients
The center provides blood transfusions to 180 thalassemia patients, with 14 affected children receiving them at private facilities, district hospitals, and local hospitals for urgent treatment.
Thalassemia is an inherited blood condition caused by insufficient hemoglobin production, affecting red blood cells. It can be managed effectively through blood transfusions and chelation therapy, occurring during the "window period."
"This seems to be the case because the children are already battling a serious issue and are now at a greater health risk." According to him, when someone donates blood, the blood is tested to make sure it is safe for use. However, there is a period of time after someone was infected when the virus could not be detected by the tests -- this is called the "window period"."At the time of transfusion, the doctors should have vaccinated the children against Hepatitis B," he added.
Among the 180 patients, there are 14 children ranging in age from 6 to 16. Arya reported that seven of these children tested positive for Hepatitis B, five for Hepatitis C, and two for HIV. These children hail from various regions within the state, such as Kanpur City, Dehat, Farrukhabad, Auraiyya, Etawah, and Kannauj.
"District-level officials will trace the root of infection under the Viral Hepatitis Control Program. The team will look for the place of infection, both for hepatitis and HIV," said a senior official of the Uttar Pradesh National Health Mission.