Assam chief Tarun Gogoi calls for probe in HIV infected blood transfusion case

Chief Minister of Assam Tarun Gogoi on Saturday said that he has ordered a thorough probe into the allegations leveled against a government-run blood bank.

This blood bank has been accused of spreading the deadly HIV virus among recipients at hospitals in the state.

He stated this while addressing a news conference at Guwahati, on Saturday.

Gogoi asserted that whosoever is responsible for this criminal offence will be suspended and the government will take strict penal action against those involved in this gory crime.

"I have already instructed to register a criminal case against those who are responsible. I have issued order to check-up all the blood banks and to see that they have followed strict procedure or strict rules," said Gogoi.

The matter came into light recently when a woman patient who had come for treatment at Mongoldoi Civil Hospital, around 60 kilometres off Guwahati got infected with HIV after blood transfusion.

This had sparked off protests and locals flocked in the hospital premises and demanded punishment for those involved in the heinous crime of spreading HIV among innocent people.

Later, the security was tightened in the vicinity of the hospital to prevent any untoward incident and other attack on the staff of the hospital.

Patients who had earlier availed blood transfusion from the hospital during their treatment are in shock following the outbreak of this news.