Health & Govt. officials in Peru have closed 40 of the country”s blood banks after at least four people were infected with HIV from blood transfusions in a public hospital.
Peru faced the national crisis when the 44-year-old Judith Rivera contacted the media earlier this week to say that she had been infected with HIV during a routine operation at a hospital in the port city of Callao.
Health officials later revealed that three other patients including an 11- month-old child had been infected with the virus after having blood transfusions at the same hospital.
Health authorities placed Peru”s 240 blood banks under close scrutiny after four patients in less than six months were infected with HIV after receiving blood transfusions at public hospitals.
“All the blood banks in Peru will undergo a more exhaustive evaluation than the one we have been carrying out since the start of the year, which allowed us to close 30 centers,” said Health Minister Carlos Vallejos.
Peruvian Health Minister Carlos Vallejos says they will be inspected by a commission which will include officials from the World Health Organisation (WHO).