Health and Me

Ishita Roy

Life-Saving Blood Transfusions for Thalassemia Leave Four Children HIV-Positive in Madhya Pradesh

Life saving blood transfusion for <span><a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health/thalassemia">thalassemia</a></span> left four children HIV-positive, in India's Madhya Pradesh. The children are now confronted with lifetime illness, social stigma, and uncertainty. 

<h2>How Did Four Children In Madhya Pradesh Get <span rel="noindex">HIV</span>?</h2>

The children had thalassemia, which is a genetic blood disorder that requires regular transfusion to manage severe anemia and sustain life. The authorities of central state of Madhya Pradesh, on Wednesday, said that five children with thalassemia, aged three to 15 have tested positive for HIV. Out of the five children, one of them had both of their parents were HIV positive. This has prompted concerns over blood transfusion practices and a committee has now been set up to investigate these cases.

Read: <a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health-wellness/how-widespread-is-thalassemia-in-indiaand-what-can-be-done-article-151469444" data-type="tilCustomLink">How Widespread Is Thalassemia In India—And What Can Be Done?</a> 

The families of the patients come from Satna district While the infections had been detected during a routine checkup between January and May 2025, the media attention came only earlier this week, after local media reports were released on the same. 

This is not the first time this has happened. Similar case was seen from the eastern state of Jharkhand. This is where five children, all under the age of eight were also found to have contracted HIV after blood transfusions. All of them had thalassemia, and received blood transfusion at a state-run hospital.

Earlier, in 2011, Gujarat authorities launched an investigation after 23 children with thalassemia tested HIV positive following regular blood transfusions at a public hospital.

HIV or human immunodeficiency virus spreads to unprotected sex, unsafe medical practices, including infected blood transfusion, using used needles for tattooing, or from mother to child during pregnancy, childbirth, and breastfeeding. While the disease is not fatal, it does requires lifetime management. In India, more than 2.5 million people have HIV and 66,400 new infections have come up each year. As per the government data, 1.6 million people are on lifelong treatment at antiretroviral therapy (ART) centers. 

<h2>What Happened To The Five Children In Jharkhand?</h2>

Satna district collector Satish Kumar S said the five children had received blood transfusions at different centres, involving multiple donors, reported BBC. Health officials confirmed that the transfusions took place at both government hospitals and private clinics, and said all the children are currently undergoing treatment.

In one case, both parents of a three-year-old child were found to be HIV positive. In the remaining cases, the parents tested negative, ruling out mother-to-child transmission.

Satna’s chief medical and health officer, Manoj Shukla, said children who require repeated blood transfusions are treated as a high-risk group and are routinely screened for HIV. “Once the infection was detected, treatment was started immediately and is continuing. At present, the children are stable,” he said.

Dr Shukla added that every unit of blood issued by the district hospital’s blood bank is tested according to government protocols and released only after a negative report. However, he noted that in rare instances, donors in the very early stage of HIV infection may not be detected during initial screening but may test positive later.

Last week, <a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health-wellness/how-does-endogamy-put-familys-lives-and-health-at-risk-article-151477882" data-type="tilCustomLink">thalassemia </a> patients urged Parliament to pass the National Blood Transfusion Bill 2025, saying it would strengthen oversight of blood collection, testing and transfusion practices. Campaigners, including patients who contracted HIV through unsafe transfusions, described the proposed law as a long-overdue step towards ensuring safe and quality-assured blood for those who depend on frequent transfusions.

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Life saving blood transfusion for thalassemia left four children HIV-positive, in India's Madhya Pradesh. The children are now confronted with lifetime illness, social stigma, and uncertainty. How Did Four Children In Madhya Pradesh Get HIV?The children had thalassemia, which is a genetic blood disorder that requires regular transfusion to manage severe anemia and sustain life. The authorities of central state of Madhya Pradesh, on Wednesday, said that five children with thalassemia, aged three to 15 have tested positive for HIV. Out of the five children, one of them had both of their parents were HIV positive. This has prompted concerns over blood transfusion practices and a committee has now been set up to investigate these cases.Read: How Widespread Is Thalassemia In India—And What Can Be Done? The families of the patients come from Satna district While the infections had been detected during a routine checkup between January and May 2025, the media attention came only earlier this week, after local media reports were released on the same. This is not the first time this has happened. Similar case was seen from the eastern state of Jharkhand. This is where five children, all under the age of eight were also found to have contracted HIV after blood transfusions. All of them had thalassemia, and received blood transfusion at a state-run hospital.Earlier, in 2011, Gujarat authorities launched an investigation after 23 children with thalassemia tested HIV positive following regular blood transfusions at a public hospital.What Is HIV?HIV or human immunodeficiency virus spreads to unprotected sex, unsafe medical practices, including infected blood transfusion, using used needles for tattooing, or from mother to child during pregnancy, childbirth, and breastfeeding. While the disease is not fatal, it does requires lifetime management. In India, more than 2.5 million people have HIV and 66,400 new infections have come up each year. As per the government data, 1.6 million people are on lifelong treatment at antiretroviral therapy (ART) centers. What Happened To The Five Children In Jharkhand?Satna district collector Satish Kumar S said the five children had received blood transfusions at different centres, involving multiple donors, reported BBC. Health officials confirmed that the transfusions took place at both government hospitals and private clinics, and said all the children are currently undergoing treatment.In one case, both parents of a three-year-old child were found to be HIV positive. In the remaining cases, the parents tested negative, ruling out mother-to-child transmission.Satna’s chief medical and health officer, Manoj Shukla, said children who require repeated blood transfusions are treated as a high-risk group and are routinely screened for HIV. “Once the infection was detected, treatment was started immediately and is continuing. At present, the children are stable,” he said.Dr Shukla added that every unit of blood issued by the district hospital’s blood bank is tested according to government protocols and released only after a negative report. However, he noted that in rare instances, donors in the very early stage of HIV infection may not be detected during initial screening but may test positive later.Last week, thalassemia  patients urged Parliament to pass the National Blood Transfusion Bill 2025, saying it would strengthen oversight of blood collection, testing and transfusion practices. Campaigners, including patients who contracted HIV through unsafe transfusions, described the proposed law as a long-overdue step towards ensuring safe and quality-assured blood for those who depend on frequent transfusions.