HIV-transfusion hospital workers sacked

Manama: Saudi Arabia’s health ministry has sacked the laboratory technician at the hospital where HIV-infected blood was given to a 12-year-old patient.

The ministry on Sunday said that it has also revoked the technician’s licence, news site Sabq reported.

The Jizan General Hospital manager, medical head, laboratory head and blood bank head were also sacked following the botched blood transfusion that has sparked wide condemnation and deep outrage in the Saudi kingdom.

Fines of 10,000 Saudi riyals (Dh9,778) were also imposed on the blood bank head and on the Aids programme coordinator.

The case was referred to the judicial authorities, the ministry said.

The country’s judicial authorities were also alerted about the donor of the contaminated blood.