ISLAMABAD: News of thalassemic children getting Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) during blood transfusion has left parents panicked.

Among them is Malik Qasim, a resident of Soan Garden, who took his son to the thalassemia centre of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) to discuss with doctors whether he should also get his son tested for HIV.

At least 10 thalassemic children aged between 5 and 16 years have tested positive for HIV following unsafe blood transfusion.

Thalassemia is a hereditary blood disorder that prevents production of haemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells which carries oxygen to all parts of the body.

Read: 10 thalassemic children get HIV from transfusions

Anyone suffering from this disorder needs regular red blood cell infusions.

“My four-year-old son Malik Noah suffers from thalassemia and the news has upset me,” Malik Qasim said.

“On Friday, I took my son to the thalassemia centre at Pims and requested the doctor to test my son for HIV but he suggested to first screen his blood for hepatitis C,” Mr Qasim said, adding that after getting the hepatitis C test report, I will request the doctor to screen my son for HIV,” he said.

While replying to a question, Mr Qasim said it was the responsibility of the hospital management to ensure that safe blood was being provided to every patient.

Also read: Committee fails to get data on children tested ‘positive’ for HIV

“After every three months I give blood for my son. It would be painful if my son gets contaminated blood in exchange for my blood,” he said.

Tazin Anwar, a doctor deputed at thalassemia centre, while talking to Dawn, said following news of thalassemic children getting infected by HIV, a number of parents had visited the hospital to check whether or not their children need to be tested for HIV.

Allaying the fears of the parents, Tazin Anwar said Pims carefully screened blood so they need not worry.

However, she said, those who get blood from outside the hospital should get their children tested for hepatitis C.

“We have around 800 registered patients of thalassemia and we regularly test them for hepatitis and HIV. In March we carried out the exercise and found HIV in only one woman,” she said.

“Unfortunately, thalassemic children get blood transfusion from different places, therefore, they are more at risk of contracting diseases,” she said.

Babar Hussain, a resident of Kallar Syedan, who came to Pims to get blood for his sister’s three-year-old son, Mohammad Saim, said: “It is the duty of the hospitals to provide safe blood. We bring Saim here once a month for blood transfusion,” he said.

Rizwan Ahmed, the father of a six-year-old thalassemic girl, said the news took him by surprise.

“Unfortunately in Pakistan we don’t have laws, and even if there were, no one bothers to follow them. Our politicians go abroad for medical treatment so they do not care about the health facilities being provided to people here,” he said.

Published in Dawn, December 8th, 2014