Probe ordered after reports of infected, mismatched blood transfusion in Phagwara hospital

The Punjab government on Friday ordered an inquiry into the incident of infected and mismatched blood transfusion at a hospital in Punjab's Kapurthala district, officials said.

Chief Minister Amarinder Singh ordered the probe after taking cognisance of the media reports on the incident.

According to the reports, blood units, infected with HCV (hepatitis C virus) and HbsAg (Hepatitis B surface antigen), were allegedly given to two patients and mismatched blood to a teenager at the blood bank in Phagwara civil hospital.

The blood bank has been shut down and the officer concerned for blood transfusion, Hardeep Singh Sethi, has been placed under suspension, an official statement said.

Senior Medical Officer Kamal Kishore has also been suspended and Kapurthala Civil Surgeon has been asked to lodge an FIR for criminal negligence, it said.

Besides, the contract of lab technician Ravi Paul has been suspended, the statement said.

The chief minister has also directed the health department to immediately undertake a thorough check of all the blood banks in the state to ensure that stringent management parameters were being followed, it said.

All blood banks in the Kapurthala district will be inspected by the District Blood Transfusion Committee headed by the civil surgeons within the next three days, the statement said.

It said civil surgeons will now ensure blood banks are inspected periodically so that standard operating procedures are followed and lapses do not recur.

The Phagwara incident surfaced during a joint inspection of the blood bank by drug inspectors on January 30. A medical board was immediately constituted by Kapurthala civil surgeon for inquiry and verification of facts.