Our World

HIV Positive Blood Transfused to Small Children

Today in Kazakhstan, it was confirmed that 55 young children tested HIV positive after getting blood transfusions. The first cases of HIV were presented during the summer and four children have already died (read about it here). There are currently seventeen people being sought after as the cause of this tragedy. One or more of these seventeen people donated HIV infected blood to a hospital in the city of Shymkent.

The hospital is being charged with using unsafe blood transfusion procedures and unsterile instruments. Only 50% of the 10,000 children under age two and the medics that attended to the children have gone through the examinations. So far all medics have tested negative, but there could be countless more children and adults with HIV from this event.

Kazakhstan's health minister Yerbolat Dosayev is quoted saying, "there was plain negligence and violation of medical norms." This mistake should never have occurred. How can people trust hospitals when children are made ill by their own medics? Society in general needs to be able to trust the knowledge and expertise of the medical field. This is a prime example of the corruption occurring in developing countries. Many of these countries become preoccupied with improving their economy and development, that they forget about regulations necessary for public safety. Kazakhstan has an improving economy and a satisfactory governmental infrastructure, but it is lacking in its social programs. Migration is occurring at a rapid pace and if social programs don't improve in countries like Kazakhstan, pull factors will drive people from these countries.

Members of the parliament in Kazakhstan have suggested that Dosayev, the health minister, resign. Dosayev replied by saying, "if it turns out I am largely responsible, I will have the courage to resign." I am not sure if Dosayev should have to resign. As a health minister, he should be making sure that the public health systems in his country are safe and effective and he obviously failed to do that. Then again, is it his fault if only a few people forgot a procedure and made a mistake? On the flip side, you also can't forget that now four people have died and many more can expect a premature death through this negligence. Does anyone else have an opinion?

Check this out if you want more information on this topic.

To learn more about Kazakhstan click here.

posted by Anonymous @ 9/18/2006 08:36:00 PM