Katrina Daniel 32 , a housewife has been diagnosed with HIV positive since the year 2013. Previously Ms Katrina along with her husband, Sivakumar 38 had done a medical check-up on 7th October 2013 and at that material time, Ms Katrina was not diagnosed with any disease. Subsequently, Ms Katrina who was heavily pregnant admitted on 1st November 2013 to this well-known Specialist Hospital for delivery. As a common man, Mr Sivakumar believed in the speciality provide by this Specialist Hospital.
Kartina married Sivakumar some 7 years back and lives in Ipoh.
On the 5th November 2013, Ms Katrina gives birth to their first daughter Nirajana now 4 years and thereafter, Ms Katrina was transferred to Hospital Raja Permaisuri Bainun (HRPB) based on the doctor’s advice. Upon undergoing a medical check-up on 6th November 2013 at HRPB, it was discovered that Ms Katrina was diagnosed with HIV positive, a life-threatening disease. Till to date, Ms Katrina required to undergo medical check-up every 6 months. The second child Pravina is now 3 years old
According to National Blood Center Ministry of Health Malaysia, the clinicians are required to ask themselves few questions before prescribing blood transfusion, such as;
(a) Are there any other treatments should give before making the decision to transfuse?
(b) What are the risks of transmitting HIV, Hepatitis, Syphilis or other infectious agents through the blood products that are available for this patient?
(c) Have they recorded decision and reasons for transfusion on the patient’s chart and blood request form?
These are the few questions on the checklist provided. Has the Hospital complied all the check-lists before prescribing blood transfusion for Ms Katrina? How can such error occur in the modern times, where the Hospitals in Malaysia are well-equipped with modern pieces of equipment and the doctors in such Hospitals are well-trained professional?
More stringent check need to be done on private hospitals by the Ministry of Health to prevent this unfortunate incidences to patients.
I urge the Specialist Hospital and related Government Bodies to take responsibility for putting Ms Katrina and her family members in a traumatizing situation and immediate action need to be taken to rectify the losses suffered by Ms Katrina and her family members.
Unless a cure is found for HIV cases the children may loose their mother due to sheer negligence of the way blood transfusion was done. There is every possibility the whole family of Katrina being affected by HIV in the near futhure.