Kerala HC Asks State About Testing Technology Used In Regional Cancer Centre Where Patient Contracted HIV After Blood Transfusions
The Kerala High Court asked the state government to submit an affidavit about the machines that is now being used in the Regional Cancer Centre for blood test after an incident where a patient got HIV from blood transfusions were brought to the notice of the Court.
The petitioner lost his daughter after she got infected with HIV. His daughter was suspected of having leukemia. She got 49 blood transfusions from Regional Cancer Centre, Trivandrum. Later, it was found out that one of the donors was HIV positive. The petitioner's daughter got infected during the course of the treatment.
The Government informed the Court that the unfortunate incident occurred because the testing technology used at the time could not detect the infection as there was a window period of 4 to 8 weeks before the infection could be detected.
Justice Mohammed Nias C. P. asked the State to detail the steps taken after the said incident and to say how the technology used now is superior to the one used at the time of the incident.
The Court also asked the State if it intends to compensate the petitioner for the unfortunate death of his daughter.
The case will be next heard on 2nd April.
The petition was moved by Advocates George Poonthottam (Sr.), Nisha George
Case Title: Shiji v Chief Secretary of Kerala and Others
Case No: WP(C) 30664 of 2017
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