Chaibasa, Jharkhand – In a heartbreaking escalation of medical negligence, the number of thalassemia-affected children who tested HIV positive after receiving contaminated blood transfusions at Chaibasa Sadar Hospital has risen to six, prompting swift action from Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren. The incident, centered around the Chaibasa Blood Centre in West Singhbhum district, has exposed glaring lapses in blood screening protocols, leaving families devastated and sparking a statewide audit of blood banks. With the Jharkhand High Court stepping in suo motu, authorities are racing to contain the fallout while vowing accountability for what experts call a preventable tragedy.
From One Case to a Cluster: The Unfolding Crisis
The scandal broke open on October 18 when a seven-year-old thalassemia patient, who had received a transfusion on September 13 at the hospital’s blood bank, tested positive for HIV during a routine follow-up. What began as an isolated complaint from the child’s family against a blood bank technician for negligence quickly snowballed into a broader investigation. Preliminary probes revealed that the child had been administered around 25 units of blood over the course of treatment, with contaminated samples slipping through inadequate testing.
Subsequent tests confirmed HIV in five more children—bringing the total to six—all dependent on regular transfusions for their lifelong battle with thalassemia. Four of the affected children hail from West Singhbhum district, while two are from neighboring Seraikela-Kharsawan. District records show 56 thalassemia patients under treatment locally, alongside 417 HIV-positive individuals accessing antiretroviral therapy (ART) at the center. Officials suspect the infections stemmed from HIV-tainted donor blood, though possibilities like contaminated needles are also under scrutiny.
“This is a failure of the system that no child should endure,” said a distraught parent, whose seven-year-old is among the victims. “These kids fight for every breath—now they’re fighting an invisible enemy because of our hospitals.”
Swift Suspensions and Statewide Overhaul
Taking decisive cognizance, Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Sunday ordered the immediate suspension of West Singhbhum Civil Surgeon Dr. Sushanto Kumar Majhi, along with other implicated officials at the blood centre. In a strongly worded post on X, Soren declared, “Instructions have been issued to suspend the civil surgeon of West Singhbhum, along with other responsible officials, following reports of HIV-infected blood transfusion to children suffering from thalassemia in Chaibasa. The state government will provide financial assistance of ₹2 lakh to each affected family and will bear the complete cost of treatment for the infected children.”
To prevent recurrence, Soren directed the Health Department to audit all blood banks across Jharkhand and submit a comprehensive report within five days. “Lax arrangements in the health process will not be tolerated under any circumstances,” he added, emphasizing zero tolerance for negligence.
A five-member medical team, headed by Director (Health Services) Dr. Dinesh Kumar, descended on the Chaibasa facility on October 25 for an on-site inspection of the blood bank and pediatric intensive care unit. Their findings? “Certain irregularities were detected at the blood bank, and officials have been instructed to address these issues immediately,” Dr. Kumar revealed, highlighting needs for enhanced sterilization, certification protocols, and working method reforms.
Judicial Intervention and Systemic Gaps Exposed
The Jharkhand High Court, moved by the gravity of the case, took suo motu cognizance on Monday, demanding a detailed report from the state health secretary. This judicial oversight adds pressure on investigators to unearth the root causes, including why standard HIV screening—mandatory for all blood donations—failed spectacularly.
Before his suspension, Dr. Majhi acknowledged the probe’s progress: “We have identified the 32 donors who gave blood to the 7-year-old boy, who first tested positive. The line-listing has been done and blood samples of all these 32 donors are being taken.” He also noted the district’s HIV burden, with 65 deaths and 70 cases transferred out, underscoring the urgency of robust testing infrastructure.
Health experts point to a national shortfall in advanced HIV detection tools, which can miss recent infections within the typical 3-12 month window of standard ELISA tests. In response, the Jharkhand government is procuring machines for shorter detection windows, as announced by Additional Chief Secretary (Health) during a briefing.
A Call for Vigilance: Families Seek Justice Amid Hope
For the affected families, the ₹2 lakh aid and free treatment offer some solace, but the emotional toll is immense. “Our children trusted the system—now we need more than money; we need guarantees,” one guardian urged. Advocacy groups for thalassemia patients, who require 8-12 transfusions annually, are demanding mandatory nucleic acid testing (NAT) for all blood units, a practice already standard in high-income settings but rare in India due to costs.
As the probe deepens and audits roll out, this Chaibasa crisis serves as a stark reminder of the fragility in India’s public health safety net. With early intervention critical for HIV management—especially in immunocompromised children like these—the coming days will test Jharkhand’s resolve. Updates from the high court and health department are anticipated soon, as the state pledges to turn outrage into reform.
