10 thalassemic children get HIV from transfusions

Published December 4, 2014
Thalassemia affected children during blood transfusion.—AFP/File
Thalassemia affected children during blood transfusion.—AFP/File

ISLAMABAD: At least 10 children – between the ages of 5 and 16 – already afflicted with thalassemia, have tested positive for the HIV virus after allegedly receiving a transfusion of infected blood.

The revelation, which sent shockwaves through the healthcare community on Wednesday, was confirmed by Thalassemia Federation of Pakistan Secretary General Dr Yasmin Rashid.

Know more: Over 50,000 beta thalassaemia kids in Pakistan

She told Dawn that all the children had tested positive for HIV, but she was unwilling to lay blame on any specific individual, saying that several people in Pakistan have been given unsafe transfusions.

NHS ministry to set up fact finding committee, Pims offers free treatment

According to Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) Vice Chancellor Dr Javed Akram, six of the children belonged to the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi. Pims has offered them free-of-cost treatment and bone marrow transplants, Dr Akram said.

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

Anyone afflicted with the disorder needs regular red blood cell-infusions.

Also read: Thalassaemia ignored

Dr Rashid told Dawn that she was shocked by the news. “I lobbied very hard for the promulgation of the Blood Transfusion Act nearly 10 years ago, but the law was never implemented properly. As a result, several people are given tainted blood and infected with diseases such as HIV and hepatitis, among others, she said.

“All blood should be screened properly before it is given to someone else to avoid all kinds of diseases,” she stressed, but admitted that thalassemia patients were more vulnerable to such incidents because they had to get transfusions quite often and from several different places.

Dr Akram was of the opinion that the government should act immediately due to the sensitive nature of the issue.

“Private clinics and other organisations have been spreading death and they need to be stopped immediately. I fear many more could be affected,” he said.

Ayesha Abid, president of Thalassemia Awareness and Prevention in Pakistan (TAPP), was also quite upset over the incident.

She told Dawn: “Blood is life for a thalassemia patient; they need transfusions between one and three times a month. Their parents must ensure that they only get screened blood,” she said.

Minister for National Health Services Saira Afzal Tarar told Dawn that she had instructed the DG Health to submit a detailed report and that a fact-finding committee would be set up to fix responsibility for this tragedy. She also promised action against unregistered blood banks and those who sold unscreened blood.

Published in Dawn, December 4th, 2014

Opinion

Editorial

Race against time
09 Feb, 2025

Race against time

SOME of the foremost authorities on environmental issues converged in Islamabad this past week to talk about the...
Open door
09 Feb, 2025

Open door

THE door is still open for talks, National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq has reminded the PTI. What matters, however,...
Football suspension
09 Feb, 2025

Football suspension

ONCE again, Pakistan has been ousted from the global football family. FIFA recently suspended the Pakistan Football...
A year later
Updated 08 Feb, 2025

A year later

A war of egos has been fought between a handful of individuals at the cost of the well-being of millions of ordinary Pakistanis.
Wheat decision
08 Feb, 2025

Wheat decision

THE federal decision to stop setting the minimum support price for wheat and cease the staple’s procurement...
Dhanmondi attack
08 Feb, 2025

Dhanmondi attack

HISTORY has shown that unless states deliver development and equal rights to all, disenfranchised people can target...