Infected blood, CM orders a thorough probe into Phagwara blood bank lapses.

Chandigarh, February 7 (H.S.) :

Taking serious note of the shocking neglect that led to infected blood being given to two patients and a mismatched blood transfusion to a teenager at the Blood Bank at the Civil Hospital Phagwara, Punjab Chief Minister on Friday ordered a detailed inquiry into the incident and immediate inspection of all the blood banks in the state.

The order came in the wake of media reports of two blood units infected with HCV & HbsAg being issued to two patients in Phagwara. 

The blood bank at Phagwara has since been shut down and the concerned BTO Dr. Hardeep Singh Sethi has been placed under suspension. The contract of LT Ravi Paul has also been suspended, according to an official spokesperson, who further revealed that Dr. Kamal Kishore, SMO, had also been suspended and Civil Surgeon Kapurthala has been asked to file a criminal complaint with the Police Department for getting an FIR registered for criminal negligence.

Expressing grave concern over the matter, the Chief Minister has directed the Health Department to immediately undertake a thorough check of all the blood banks to ensure that the most stringent parameters of management were being followed there. No laxity in this regard could be permitted, he said.

On the Chief Minister’s directives, all blood banks in the Kapurthala district will be inspected by the District Blood Transfusion Committee headed by the Civil Surgeons within the next three days.  Further, in addition to other periodic inspections, as a one-time measure, all Government Blood Banks will inspected in the next 15 days and private Blood Bank will be inspected by March 31, by teams of Food & Drug Administration and Punjab Blood and transfusion Council.

It has also been noticed that District Transfusion Committees are not inspecting the Blood Bank periodically.  Civil Surgeons have now been instructed to ensure inspections of Blood Banks periodically so that standard operating procedures are followed and such of lapses do recur in the future. A report every month should be sent to the Punjab State Blood Transfusion Council, the Chief Minister has directed.

Hindusthan Samachar/Narinder Jagga