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Jharkhand to launch state-wide tests for thalassemia, sickle cell, says Health Minister Irfan Ansari

RANCHI: In a major decision, Jharkhand Health Minister Dr. Irfan Ansari said that everyone in the state will be made to undergo tests for thalassemia and sickle cell. According to Ansari, Jharkhand still lacks concrete data on these serious diseases, posing a major challenge to the state's health system. There is no information available about the number of patients suffering from Thalassemia and Sickle Cell in any of the districts. This is a very serious disease, and its treatment will be ensured in Jharkhand at all costs, said Ansari. The goal is to make Jharkhand Thalassemia and Sickle Cell free, he added. Ansari said that the state government will bear the entire cost of treatment for thalassemia and sickle cell patients. Additionally, the process of providing bone marrow transplant facilities at Ranchi Sadar Hospital has also been initiated, he said. The Minister further said that special initiatives will be taken to connect experienced doctors from various states to Jharkhand. The state government will also provide the necessary budget for this, he said. The Minister explained that without accurate data, children are constantly forced to visit private hospitals and government blood banks. To improve this situation, all district-level blood banks are being equipped with high-tech equipment, which includes, installing new-generation blood testing machines, providing state-of-the-art AIDS/HIV testing, and providing the latest blood safety technology. All these facilities will soon be made available in every blood bank in the state to prevent a recurrence of incidents like the one in Chaibasa. HIV transmission to Thalassemia children in Jharkhand exposes gaps in Indias blood banking system: Advocacy group In a shocking case of negligence in October, five children were contracted with HIV after being transfused with infected blood at Sadar Hospital at West Singhbhum district in Jharkhand. Chief Minister Hemant Soren had ordered the suspension of the civil surgeon and the medical officer responsible for the same. The matter came into light after family members of one of the children lodged a complaint with the deputy commissioner and the state government. Over media reports, the Jharkhand High Court took Suo-moto cognisance of the matter and ordered an urgent probe into the matter and sought a detailed report from the state health department. Following the Courts directive, a high-level medical investigation team from Ranchi visited Chaibasa to inspect the hospitals blood bank and related facilities. During the investigation, it was discovered that four more children have been given infected blood and were found to be HIV positive. The team inspected the hospital's blood bank and PICU ward and gathered detailed information from the children's families. The medical team discovered several deficiencies and serious irregularities during their inspection of the blood bank and laboratory. Preliminary findings indicate that poor testing protocols, lack of supervision, and procedural negligence may have allowed contaminated blood to be used for transfusions a failure that has endangered several young lives.