The Madhya Pradesh government has suspended three health officials, including the in-charge of a government blood bank, after six children tested HIV positive following blood transfusions linked to hospitals in Satna district.
The action was taken after a preliminary inquiry by a committee constituted by the state Public Health and Family Welfare Department found lapses in blood screening and related procedures. The committee was set up on December 16 after the infections came to light.
Those suspended include district hospital blood bank in-charge Dr Devendra Patel and laboratory technicians Ram Bhai Tripathi and Nandlal Pandey. In addition, a show-cause notice has been issued to Dr Manoj Shukla, the former civil surgeon of the Satna district hospital, seeking an explanation for alleged administrative and supervisory failures. He has been directed to submit a written explanation, failing which strict disciplinary action will be initiated in accordance with service rules.
“The Public Health and Family Welfare Department has taken strict action in connection with the transfusion of infected blood in Satna. The action follows a preliminary inquiry conducted by a seven-member investigation committee. The committee examined the circumstances leading to the incident and submitted its initial findings to the department,” said a government official.
These suspensions are “part of immediate corrective measures to ensure accountability and to prevent any recurrence of such incidents,” the official added.
The five children, aged between 3 and 15 years, were diagnosed HIV positive after undergoing multiple blood transfusions at district hospitals in Satna, Jabalpur and other locations. Health department records indicate that the suspected transfusions took place between January and May this year.
Officials said that the parents of one of the affected children have also tested HIV positive, though the source and timeline of infection are still under investigation.
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All five children are currently receiving treatment under standard HIV management protocols, and counselling and medical support have been extended to their families.
The state government has said further action will be taken after the final investigation report is submitted. Multiple teams at the district and state levels are continuing to examine donor records, blood screening procedures and compliance with mandatory testing norms to determine how contaminated blood entered the supply chain.
