The case involving two children with Thalassemia who were found to be HIV-positive in the district has escalated, prompting intervention from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). Acting on a complaint submitted by the General Secretary of the Foundation Against Thalassemia, the PMO has ordered a high-level probe into the matter.
Following the directive, the investigation has been assigned to the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) and the State Drug Control Department. Authorities are examining potential lapses in the blood screening process and how HIV-infected blood was transfused to the children.
Preliminary suspicions suggest that the infection may have gone undetected if the blood donor was in the “window period” — the early stage of infection when standard screening methods may fail to detect HIV. Experts note that reliance solely on ELISA-based antibody testing can miss infections during the first six weeks.
Health specialists have urged the mandatory implementation of Nucleic Acid Testing (NAT) across all blood banks to prevent such incidents in the future. The investigation report is awaited, and further action will be determined once accountability is established.
