From Our Correspondent
Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Saturday informed that his government was filing a criminal case in respect of the unprecedented episode of several persons getting infected with AIDS virus after taking blood from the blood bank in a government civil hospital at Mangaldoi in North Assam.
At least four persons have contracted the AIDS virus after they had undergone blood transfusion at Mangaldoi Civil Hospital from a professional donor who later turned out to be an HIV + person. These persons were hospitalized at various point of time recently for treatment of different ailments. They had to cough up whooping amount of money too for procuring the blood.
Gogoi said the government was taking a very serious view of the matter. “I have instructed for registration of a criminal case in the matter. Mere suspension of some official will not be enough, it is a case of criminal negligence,” he said.
Gogoi said the victims would also be paid compensation by the government as it had happened at a government hospital. He had already ordered an enquiry by additional Chief Secretary PP Verma into the entire matter on Friday and asked for the report within 30 days.
Meanwhile, State Health Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sharma on Saturday deputed a three-member team of experts from the Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) here to Mangaldoi government civil hospital to make a thorough enquiry into the alleged lapse.
The team has been instructed to submit report within 72 hours.
The unprecedented episode of negligence has sparked statewide protest with many organisations demanding resignation of the Health Minister Dr Sarma over the ‘glaring’ lapse on part the authority in a government civil hospital.