Ranchi (Jharkhand) [India], October 27 (ANI): Ajoy Kumar Singh, Additional Chief Secretary, Department of Health, Jharkhand on Sunday highlighted that HIV tests can miss recent infections (window period: up to one month) and new tests can shorten this window to one week.

Speaking with ANI, Singh said the government plans to procure machines to shorten HIV detection windows and health officials are reviewing and tightening blood transfusion protocols.

The Jharkhand Health Department on Sunday confirmed that five children suffering from thalassemia in Chaibasa have been found HIV positive following blood transfusions, prompting a state-wide review of blood testing procedures.

Additional Chief Secretary of the Department of Health, Jharkhand, Ajoy Kumar Singh, said that while all medical protocols were followed, the infections could have occurred due to the 'window period' -- the early stage of HIV infection when tests may not detect the virus.

'In Chaibasa, there was a report that one child had been infected with HIV. The doctor ordered that a test be performed on all 84 children undergoing treatment for thalassemia. We found that four more children have been infected with HIV. All protocols were carried out for the tests,' Singh said.

He clarified that none of the blood donors in the tested samples were found HIV positive, suggesting the infection may have occurred during the early 'window period' when the virus cannot be detected through standard screening.

'We did not find any HIV-positive blood donors in the sample. Whenever a person is infected with HIV, there is a window of one month, which means that if an HIV test is carried out in that one month, it will not come out positive. If the blood donor has recently been infected with HIV, his tests will not come out positive,' he explained.

The official said new testing equipment would soon be introduced to reduce the window period and ensure safer blood transfusions across Jharkhand.

'There are a few tests in which we will shorten that window to a week. We have instructed all the civil surgeons to procure that machine for carrying out this test,' Singh added.

The Health Department has suspended the Civil Surgeon of Chaibasa, the medical officer in charge of the blood bank, and the concerned lab technicians following the incident.

'As per the instructions of the Chief Minister, 2 lakh each will be given as compensation to the children who have been found HIV positive. Further treatment will be free of cost for all these children,' Singh said.

The statement comes after five children suffering from thalassemia contracted HIV after being administered infected blood during transfusions at a hospital in Jharkhand's Chaibasa, prompting the State government to order a high-level investigation and suspend several officials.

Jharkhand Health Minister Irfan Ansari said the issue came to light two days ago and termed it an 'extremely serious' matter.

'The matter of possible HIV infection through blood transfusion in children suffering from thalassemia is extremely serious. Two days ago, this issue came to my attention, after which I immediately ordered a high-level investigation,' the minister said in a statement on social media platform X today.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Hemant Soren has announced financial assistance of Rs 2 lakh to each affected family, along with free treatment for children suffering from the infection. 'Following reports of HIV-infected blood being transfused to children suffering from Thalassemia in Chaibasa, instructions have been given to suspend the West Singhbhum Civil Surgeon and other concerned officials,' Hemant Soren said in a post on X.

Further, Chief Minister Soren said in his post in Hindi on X, 'The Health Department should conduct an audit of all blood banks located in the state and submit the report within five days. Lax arrangements in the health process will not be tolerated under any circumstances. Health Minister Shri @IrfanAnsariMLA should take cognizance.'

The State Health Minister Ansari added that a high-level inquiry committee has been formed to probe the incident in detail. (ANI)