Peru: Blood banks closed over HIV infections

All of Peru’s 240 blood banks have been closed in the wake of worries over HIV transmission in blood transfusions. Peruvian Minster of Health Carlos Vallejos urged people not to panic over reports that in less than six months four patients contracted HIV after getting blood transfusions in a Callao clinic.

Despite Vallejos’ assurances, BBC News noted that Peruvians are afraid of going to public hospitals over the HIV scare as well as the recent revelation that thirty people became infected with Hepatitis C after receiving dialysis treatment.

Furthermore, the poor state of blood banks is a problem not only in Peru:

“Jose Cruz, an adviser on blood and laboratory safety for the Washington-based Panamerican Health Organization, called Peru's blood banks "worrying."

He said Peru is the organization's list, along with Bolivia, Colombia and Mexico, of countries that fail to perform preliminary disease screening all blood collected in blood banks.

The organization's most recent figures show almost a quarter of the blood Peru's banks receive is not properly screened, Cruz said.”

Sources- AFP, Living in Peru, BBC News, MSNBC

Image- separationsnow.com