Donated Blood Tested Positive of HIV

The Blood Bank of the Philippine Red Cross-Zamboanga Chapter has discovered three bags of donated blood were positive of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) while another three are still subject to confirmatory test.

The bags of contaminated fluid were among those donated to the PRC Blood Bank since January this year.

Nimfa Linao, PRC Blood Bank medical technologist, on Wednesday disclosed the bags of blood were found to be contaminated with HIV through laboratory analysis.

The Department of Health’s (DOH) Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) already confirmed this while the results of the other three have yet to be released.

Linao added that all bags of donated blood are being tested for HIV, Hepatitis B and C, Syphilis and Malaria.

Last year, eight bags of donated blood were found positive of HIV.

“We screen the donor while the blood is being checked to determine it is free from diseases,” Linao said.

Linao said the donor of HIV-positive blood was immediately referred to the City Health Office Wellness Center for medication and counseling.