- related articles - separator Peru: Woman Infected with AIDS Virus in Ministry of Health Hospital (by LIP, Sept 10, 2007) separator -
(LIP-ir) -- After a Declaration of Emergency was made by the blood banks in Peru, Peru's Minster of Health, Carlos Vallejos Sologuren, asked that the country's people remain calm and not panic.The Minister of Health explained that the Declaration of Emergency was to make sure that a high quality of standards were being met.Peru's Health Minister asked Peruvians not to be afraid and to continue donating blood. He emphasized that the measures being taken were to ensure that the blood which was being stored by the blood banks was in optimum conditions.According to Peru's RPP news, Vallejos stated that with the Declaration of Emergency a new manner of work would begin in blood banks throughout Peru. In addition, he stated that the number of people infected with HIV because of blood transfusions would be greatly reduced.Minister Vallejos added that there would be much more modern blood banks with the latest technological advances. Moreover, Vallejos explained that all of the blood banks throughout Peru would be audited.Peru's Health Minister stated that the problem would not disappear but that the number of cases would be reduced and that the people who are affected will receive all of the necessary help.
At least four people in Peru have contracted HIV, the virus that causes AIDS after receiving blood transfusions that were infected with the deadly virus.

As a result, all of Peru's 240 blood banks have been closed pending further investigation and an emergency has been declared by the government.

"This situation cannot continue. All of Peru's blood banks are being reviewed. We do not want people to panic, what we have to do is be more careful, strengthen our care," said Carlos Vallejos, the Health Minister of Peru.

The country's government made its decision when Judith Rivera, 44 and mother of four children, went public with claims that during an operation, she was infected with HIV when doctors gave her a transfusion. 

Soon after the government admitted that at least three other individuals, one being an infant child only 11 months old, another a 17 year-old boy, contracted the virus through blood transfusions and all received care from the same hospitals.

Vallejos also stated that all of the individuals infected will receive whatever care is necessary to treat their conditions.