Staff transferred for wrongly tagging man HIV+

The Mumbai Districts AIDS Control Society (MDACS), on Tuesday, transferred two employees working in a civic-run hospital in Ghatkopar for wrongly tagging a blood report of a person as HIV positive.

The Mumbai Districts AIDS Control Society (MDACS), on Tuesday, transferred two employees working in a civic-run hospital in Ghatkopar for wrongly tagging a blood report of a person as HIV positive.

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Shamal Vaidaya, a laboratory technician and Suresh Gavit, a counsellor, working at Sant Muktabai Hospital have been transferred to Savarkar Hospital in Mulund, and Rajawadi Hospital respectively, with a strict warning.

On September 26, Saki Naka resident Mahendra Mishra was handed an HIV positive report after a blood test at the hospital. However, subsequent tests at private laboratories did not detect any presence of HIV.

As per the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) guidelines, when a person who does not fall in the high-risk category tests positive for HIV, it is mandatory to repeat the HIV test by taking a fresh blood sample. “Our inquiry revealed the second test was not done, and an HIV positive report was given to the patient,” said Dr S Kudalkar, project director of MDACS.

Dr Kudalkar pointed out a possibility of the blood sample getting contaminated, leading to a HIV positive report. The MDACS has issued instructions to ensure that workers at the Integrated Counselling and Testing Centres (ICTC) follow the guidelines strictly.