Medical negligence: 9-yr-old girl infected with HIV after blood transfusion

News Network

September 14, 2017

Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 14: In a suspected case of gross medical negligence, the family of a nine-year-old girl, who was undergoing treatment at the Regional Cancer Centre here, has alleged that the girl was infected with HIV after undergoing blood transfusion at the hospital. The Medical College police have registered case and launched a probe after receiving a complaint from the girl's parents in this regard. The complaint has been raised by a family hailing from Alappuzha district.

According to police, the case has been registered on charges of negligence against the staff of RCC. As per the complaint, the girl was found to be infected with HIV when her blood was tested prior to a surgery related to an eye disease recently. The parents confirmed the infection after testing the blood again at the medical college hospital. It was following this, they approached the police with a complaint. They alleged that only possible way the girl might have got infected with the virus is when she underwent a blood transfusion at RCC as part of her treatment.

Medical College sub-inspector D Girilal said the probe has just been launched and it was too early to say whether the allegation raised against the state-run cancer care hospital was genuine. The parents of the girl have told the police that before starting treatment under RCC in March this year, the girl was treated at a few other hospitals too.

''But, they are sure that the girl did not have the infection before the blood transfusion here as they were constantly monitoring her condition owing to continued treatment," the sub-inspector said.

Kazhakootam Cyber City assistant commissioner A Pramod Kumar, under whose jurisdiction the RCC comes, said the matter will be discussed with forensic experts and then it will be referred to a medical board as per procedure RCC director and PRO were unavailable for comments despite repeated attempts to contact them.

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Udupi’s Kamini Island set for eco-friendly development to boost tourism

News Network

November 15,2024

Udupi: The Tourism Department is planning a major eco-friendly development initiative for Kamini Island, located near the Blue Flag-certified Padubidri End Point beach, aiming to attract more visitors while maintaining environmental sustainability.

Assistant Director Kumar CU emphasized that, given the island’s proximity to the Blue Flag beach, all development efforts will center around eco-friendly practices. “We are looking to enhance the Kamini River and the island’s surroundings by adding a hanging bridge, nature trails, and eco-friendly food courts offering traditional cuisine. Visitors will also be able to reach the island by pedal boats or kayaking,” he said.

The development project is estimated to cost between Rs 3 crore and Rs 4 crore. Meanwhile, the Blue Flag beach, Padubidri, continues to see a steady flow of visitors. Vijay Shetty, manager of the beach, shared that tenders for food courts and water sports have been awarded to private parties. Recently, three new coracles have been introduced, which are proving to be a hit with visitors. Additionally, three more shelters are expected to be ready by November 20.

Shetty mentioned that the beach can now accommodate between 2,500 and 3,000 visitors daily, although footfall remains lower than other district beaches due to user fees and activity restrictions. “Initially, most visitors were from Mangaluru, but now nearly 40% come from other districts, showing a shift in the visitor demographics,” Shetty noted.

To further boost tourism and promote a healthy lifestyle, a Beach Carnival is set to take place on November 23-24, featuring the National Sea Swimming Championship and a sea marathon in collaboration with the Padubidri JCI, which is celebrating its golden jubilee. Cultural events will be held at the main beach, with some sports events taking place at the Blue Flag beach. Emphasis will be placed on making all activities environmentally friendly.

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