Family ‘did not contract HIV from blood bank’: Jharkhand Health Dept clears Chaibasa hospital in Caesarean case

The allegations by the family came months after five children, who were thalassemia patients, tested positive for HIV in October last year, allegedly after getting blood transfusions using blood from the hospital’s blood bank.

Minj said the investigations into these cases had also been completed and that a report was expected to be submitted by the Drugs Directorate.

Ritu Sahay, director of the Jharkhand State Drugs Directorate, said the report could not be made public. “We have already submitted the report to the head of the investigation team led by the Health Department’s special secretary, Neha Arora,” Sahay said.

Neha Arora, who led the high-level committee that visited Ranchi in connection with the thalassemia cases, had said last year after the investigation that there was nothing very serious in the report.

While there has been no official communication so far from a Central team, which also conducted a parallel inquiry, the investigation report has not yet been made public.

In the case of the Chaibasa family, a man had alleged that his wife tested positive for HIV after she gave birth to her first child through a Caesarean delivery, during which she was administered blood from the hospital’s blood bank. Later, her husband and the child had also tested positive, he had said.

Leader of Opposition Babulal Marandi, in a post on X earlier this month, claimed that the case showed that the issue of alleged HIV-infected blood transfusion at Chaibasa Sadar Hospital was not new, referring to last year’s thalassemia cases. He alleged serious negligence and demanded a CBI inquiry into the hospital management and blood bank operations.

Marandi also questioned why the blood bank was not shut and criticised the state government for what he termed was a failure in running government hospitals, while the Chief Minister was signing agreements with private hospitals abroad.

Shubham Tigga is a Correspondent at The Indian Express, presently based in Pune, where he covers the intersections of infrastructure, labor, and the modern economy. His reporting focuses on civil aviation, urban mobility, the gig economy, and workers' unions, providing critical insights into how transit and commercial sectors impact the daily lives of citizens. Expertise & Background Before moving to Pune, he reported extensively from his home state of Chhattisgarh, where he focused on Indigenous (Adivasi) issues, environmental justice, and grassroots struggles in mainland India. This experience gives him a unique lens through which he analyzes the impact of large-scale infrastructure projects on local communities. Academic Foundation He is an alumnus of the prestigious Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), where he honed his skills in investigative reporting and ethical journalism. His academic training, combined with his field experience in Central India, allows him to navigate complex socio-economic landscapes with nuance and accuracy. You can reach out to him on LinkedIn ... Read More

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