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Fourteen children, who were undergoing blood transfusions due to their Thalassemia condition, have tested positive for infections such as Hepatitis B, C, and HIV. This alarming revelation was made by doctors at Lala Lajpat Rai (LLR) Hospital in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh. The hospital authorities suspect that faulty virus testing procedures for donated blood might be the cause of these infections, though the exact source remains elusive.
Dr. Arun Arya, head of the hospital’s pediatrics department and the nodal officer for this center, expressed deep concern over the situation, emphasizing the inherent risks associated with blood transfusions. The hepatitis patients have been referred to the gastroenterology department, while the HIV patients have been sent to the referral center in Kanpur. The HIV infections are particularly worrisome.
Currently, 180 Thalassemia patients receive blood transfusions at the center, with each patient screened for viral diseases every six months. The 14 affected children had received blood transfusions at private and district hospitals, sometimes even locally when urgently needed. Arya believes that the infections occurred during the “window period” – a phase when viruses may not yet be detectable by tests.
Dr. Arya also pointed out that during transfusions, the doctors should have vaccinated the children against Hepatitis B to mitigate risks.
The 14 infected children, aged 6 to 16, are among the 180 patients at the hospital. Among them, seven tested positive for Hepatitis B, five for Hepatitis C, and two for HIV. These children hail from various parts of the state, including Kanpur City, Dehat, Farrukhabad, Auraiya, Etawah, and Kannauj.
District-level officials are actively investigating the source of infection under the Viral Hepatitis Control Program. Their objective is to determine the origin of both hepatitis and HIV infections in these cases.”
