Kerala girl, who allegedly contracted HIV after blood transfusion at RCC, dies

Alappuzha: An 11-year-old blood cancer patient, who tested HIV positive allegedly after blood transfusion at the Regional Cancer Centre (RCC) in Thiruvananthapuram, has died.

She died of pneumonia at the Vandanam Medical College Hospital in Alappuzha on Wednesday. After the girl was tested HIV positive, she was undergoing treatment at the Alappuzha hospital for the past 13 months.

The girl was being treated at the Alappuzha Medical College Hospital from where she was referred to the RCC in Kerala capital for further treatment.

Noticing swelling in one of her eyes, doctors at the RCC institute had carried out various tests, including a blood test, which revealed that the girl was HIV positive, the police said.

The RCC authorities said the girl had approached them with the report of a blood test conducted in external laboratories.

The girl's father had alleged that she contracted the dreaded illness after a blood transfusion at the RCC. The state human rights panel had also ordered a high-level inquiry into the matter.

The girl's blood samples were then sent to New Delhi to confirm how she contracted HIV. However, the report is yet to be filed.

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