Dismiss Minister, replace Health Secretary: Stalin

Describing the erroneous HIV-infected blood transfusion as an example of “complete breakdown of administration” in the state, Stalin said that Minister Vijaya Baskar should be immediately ‘dismissed’ for creating the maladministration in the state health department. Holding state Health Secretary J Radhakrishnan responsible for the administrative failure in the department despite holding the office for six years, Stalin demanded immediate replacement of Radhakrishnan with a senior and competent bureaucrat to head the department.

By now, tests should have been done on all people who underwent blood transfusion at government hospitals, but nothing seem to have been done so far, Stalin alleged, adding that people would be scared to approach government hospitals if such a situation continues.

Blood banks should be properly maintained and their adherence to standards should be strictly monitored. Blood collected by voluntary donors and NGOs should be thoroughly tested before being sent to blood banks attached to government hospitals to inspire confidence among people on government hospitals, the DMK president said.

He also suggested conduct of intensive awareness programmes to educate people that blood was being stored in banks attached to government hospitals in a safe manner. Stalin also condemned the state government for not coming forward to save the lives of poor people by using the blood collected by NGOs, in the state.