Free blood for AIDS patients

OVER 24,000 HIV and AIDS patients in Uttar Pradesh will no longer face humiliation in getting blood from blood banks. In a major decision to ensure emergency treatment facility to terminally ill HIV-positive patients, the State Blood Transfusion Council has decided to provide them free blood from the government blood banks.

The blood and its components will be supplied to these patients without the mandatory condition i.e. on 'exchange basis'. The notification will soon be issued to the 60 State-run blood banks at district hospitals and medical colleges in UP.
"Decision to this effect was taken at the UP State AIDS Control Society (UPSACS) and State Blood Transfusion Council's meeting at Lucknow. Members present at the meeting decided that HIV-positive patients would be provided free blood and its components, without exchange basis, at the government blood banks," said UPSACS joint director Dr RP Mathur.

Talking to HT on telephone, Dr Mathur said Principal Secretary (Health) had already told the director general (Health) to issue notification to the 60 State-run blood banks in district hospitals and medical colleges for making free supply of blood units to the terminally ill HIV-positive patients.

"According to the records, there are 21,358 HIV positive patients and 3,053 full-blown AIDS cases, in UP. Most HIV patients suffer from opportunistic infection and need proper treatment including blood transfusion," he added. Dr Mathur added that for the last some time various organisations, including UP Network of HIV-Positive People (UPNP+) were demanding to arrange free blood units for the critically ill AIDS patients.

District AIDS Control Officer Dr Shakti Basu said they welcomed the decision, as a large number of patients needed blood transfusion to save their lives. "Recently, we had to face a lot of problem arranging blood for a HIV-positive woman at the time of labour at district hospital, Pratapgarh," he informed.

Dr Basu said a large number of HIV patients were suffering from tuberculosis, leading to internal bleeding or other life-threatening conditions due to presence of double infection in the body. They also suffered from massive weight loss and anemia, he said. "In all cases, they need blood transfusion. But being ostracised from the society, no one is ready to give them blood," he said.

(source : news.yahoo.com)