Uncovering the Negligence: How Kids Contracted HIV and Hepatitis in UP Hospital
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Fourteen children, among the 180 thalassemia patients receiving blood transfusions at a government-run hospital in Uttar Pradesh’s Kanpur, have tested positive for infections such as Hepatitis B, C, and HIV. This has raised concerns among doctors about the faulty tests for viruses conducted on donated blood.
The doctors at Lala Lajpat Rai (LLR) Hospital have acknowledged that these children now face an increased health risk in addition to their existing Thalassemia condition. The source of the infection is difficult to determine, although officials suspect that the fault lies with ineffective virus tests.
Dr. Arun Arya, the head of the pediatrics department at LLR, has expressed worry about the HIV infections. The hospital has referred the hepatitis patients to the gastroenterology department and the HIV patients to a referral center in Kanpur. The blood transfusions took place during the “window period,” a period after someone is infected when the virus cannot be detected by tests. Dr. Arya has emphasized that the children should have been vaccinated against Hepatitis B at the time of transfusion.
Arya reported that out of the children who were infected, seven were found to have Hepatitis B, five had Hepatitis C, and two were diagnosed with HIV. These children originate from various locations within the state, such as Kanpur City, Dehat, Farrukhabad, Auraiya, Etawah, and Kannauj. A senior official from the Uttar Pradesh National Health Mission, speaking on the condition of anonymity, stated that district-level officials would be responsible for investigating the source of the infection as part of the Viral Hepatitis Control Programme. The team will specifically focus on identifying the location where the infections occurred, both for hepatitis and HIV.
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- Isha Tripathi is a 5th-year law student. Being a law student, her primary writing focus has always been on society, mental health, and various legal aspects, but she is always open to other areas of writing. She has also completed two internships as a content writer. In addition to this, she has written various blogs, articles, etc.
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