10% of blood certified ‘good’ contains HIV —Expert

Attainment of zero new HIV cases in Nigeria may be a mirage given that at least 10 per cent of blood passed as “good” for transfusion when analysed using PCR machine, a more sophisticated test contains HIV, an expert has warned.

Professor Georgina Odaibo who stated this in her inaugural lecture titled “The Same Enemy, Different Consequences” at the University of Ibadan.

Odaibo, Head, Department of Virology, University of Ibadan, quoted a new study that retested blood samples passed as good for transfusion using a rapid test device that when analysed using the PCR machine found some were infected with HIV.

The don stated that most of the rapid HIV test that is available will not pick all cases of HIV.

She added that the use of contaminated instruments and transfusion of contaminated blood or blood products still play a major role in the spread of the virus in Nigeria.

According to her, “Unfortunately, most of the blood banks and hospitals in this country still depend on HIV-rapid test device for the screening of blood for transfusion.”

“It means that HIV will continue to be transmitted through blood if the right techniques are not available for testing in different locations in this country.

-Nigerian Tribune