BLOODY BUSINESS in BLOOD

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BLOODY BUSINESS in BLOOD: June 14, 2001

MEERAT BLOOD SCANDAL STRIKES AIDS PANIC BUTTON ONCE AGAIN:

Recent expose of Blood Scandal in Meerat pushed India, -a country sharing one

fifth of the world's HIV load in one sixth of the world's population, in to

panic once again. The police arresting some people involved with the blood

scandal in Meerat, a town just 60 km from the national Capital Delhi in Uttar

Pradesh and found three of five blood banks in the city involved in the racket

of trading 'dirty' blood is the beginning and not the end. It's nothing new in a

country of several scandals and poor political will to contain HIV/AIDS. This

incident is repetition of the one in the most reputed Red Cross Blood Bank in

Mumbai in 1993-94, where HIV contaminated blood was deliberately transfused to

hundreds of the recipients by just labelling that blood as 'HIV-Negative'.

It may be recalled that PHO had filed Public Interest Litigation in the Bombay

High Court in 1989 for safety of blood for human usage and Maharashtra became

the first state to implement strict vigil on blood banks in 1990 following the

High Court directive in the PHO petition. PHO studies revealed that 85% of

plasma (a component of blood) donors and 15% of professional blood donors were

HIV infected. Blood product manufacturers were shut in India was banned and the

Drug Controllers of India made it mandatory to screen all imported blood

products at the port of entry since 1990. Ironically it took eight years to make

it a national policy that too only after the Supreme Court had given verdict in

this context. Despite this states of UP, Bihar and Orissa among others yet to

have safe supply of blood and some blood banks have been trading blood. But

major mode of HIV transmission in India now is through Sexual (Heterosexual)

mode (95%).

A World Health Organisation (WHO) report in August 2000 exposed a scandal

where-in the unethical business grid from powerful countries made a 'bloody'

business of selling HIV-tainted South African blood to India and China during

last 20 years. An incident of accidental HIV infection in 13 Germans during

October 1985 resulted in German Health Minister's resignation and another

similar incident in France during July 1985 resulted in prosecution of the then

French Health Minister later in 1999. However massive incidents of this nature

amounting to Genocide/ Biological warfare gets wished away, day in and day out

in India, as it pertains to infection in thousands of poor, gullible people and

not a 'VIP'. Such double standards in dealing with human issues speaks volumes

and our policy makers and planners can not be allowed to neglect such a serious

happening, among whatever other priorities they may have to tackle. Deliberate

attempt to infect people with life endangering infections should be dealt with

iron hands. A scandal of this nature needs to be condemned at the highest level

with deterrent punishment to the culprits, PHO suggests following steps to

handle the panic arisen out of Meerat incident:

PHO demands:

1.. The Supreme Court should review this matter involving several states and

hear it expeditiously

2.. Indian Government should investigate the matter thoroughly, make efforts

in detecting the people who could have been infected through the tainted

blood/products and provide them compensation with the financial assistance from

Culprit blood banks and state governments.

3.. Recpients of blood from blood banks in UP, Bihar, Orissa and Haryana

should volunteer tests for HIV, Hepatitis B and C and Syphilis at the government

hospitals, NGOs, Health Depts.

Dr.I.S.Gilada, Secretary General, PHO (IHO)

E-mail: <ihoaids@...>