PMI blood free of HIV\/AIDS<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The Ministry of Health and Social Welfare
\ndeclared on Wednesday that blood in the nine bags from the
\nIndonesian Red Cross (PMI) Bandung branch in West Java was free
\nof the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).<\/p>\n
\"The laboratory in Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital (RSCM
\nin Jakarta) has run three tests from samples of the nine blood
\nbags using the Western Blot method and all were proven HIV
\nnegative,\" Director General of Communicable Disease Umar Fahmi
\nAchmadi told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
Unlike the elisa test which is used for antibody testing only,
\nthe Western Blot method can be used to check both antibodies and
\nantigenes from the blood sample, he explained.<\/p>\n
\"People must not be afraid as PMI has a very strict screening
\ntest for blood donors.<\/p>\n
\"It is also standard procedure that all suspected contaminated
\nblood is not used and must to be destroyed.\"<\/p>\n
Umar made his remark amid allegations that the blood in the
\nnine bags supplied by the PMI Bandung office were found to be HIV
\npositive when tested by the Bandung Advent Hospital laboratory.<\/p>\n
The Advent Hospital laboratory stated last week that after the
\nfamily of a patient requested an examination of the blood, the
\nstaff detected the deadly virus using the pesona method, which is
\nmore effective -- according to the hospital doctors -- than the
\ncommonly applied elisa technique.<\/p>\n
PMI, however, denied the claim.<\/p>\n
\"We also sent a team to Bandung on Tuesday to check on the
\nprocedure and it turned out that there is a difference in the
\ntest methods,\" Umar said.<\/p>\n
\"I think good communication between PMI and related hospitals
\nis needed to avoid misunderstanding that can trigger public
\ndispute,\" Umar added.<\/p>\n
In Bandung, Advent Hospital spokesman Bredly Sampouw explained
\non Wednesday that from September to October this year a total of
\n12 blood bags were returned to PMI after testing positive for
\ndangerous viruses, among them HIV\/AIDS and hepatitis C.<\/p>\n
\"We use the pesona test for rechecking the blood since it is
\nabout 50 percent more sensitive to these kind of viruses.\"<\/p>\n
It costs Rp 110,000 per blood bag to recheck the blood, he
\nsaid. \"The fee does not include a Rp 75,000 charge from PMI as an
\nextra charge for each blood bag,\" he added. (25\/edt)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/pmi-blood-free-of-hivaids-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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