Alltimepost.com Sincerity of Purpose
BY MIKE OSAROGIAGBON
Edo State Government has reversed its earlier decision to conduct a maternity DNA test on a 19-month-old baby alleged to have contracted HIV through a blood transfusion at a private hospital in Benin City.
Instead, the government says it will now carry out an antigen-based HIV test on the child, describing previous antibody-based results as unreliable due to the baby’s age.
It would be recalled that the state government had in August announced plans to sponsor a maternity test after several HIV antibody tests conducted at renowned laboratories including the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) and the Military Base Hospital, Benin reportedly showed that the baby was HIV-positive while both parents tested negative.
The government had also examined the child for scarification marks to determine possible alternative sources of infection.
The Edo State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Cyril Oshiomhole said this when our correspondent sought update on the ministry’s-initiated investigation into the incident earlier this year.
Dr. Oshiomhole explained that the government’s latest position followed a review of the testing procedures and the baby’s age, (19 months).
“At that age, antibody tests are not reliable because babies can retain their mothers’ antibodies. We are therefore switching to an antigen or PCR test, which will confirm if the virus itself is present.
“I wanted them to do maternity test to clear all doubts, but that is not the issue now, I have told them to go and do PCR antigen HIV test to check for the antigen not antibodies”, Dr. Oshiomhole said.
He said further that a swab test he personally conducted on the child showed a negative HIV result, while the same method tested positive when applied to a known HIV-positive patient.
According to him the new development has prompted government to suspend the proposed maternity test initially aimed at ruling out possible baby-swapping.
Dr. Oshiomhole assured that the state remains committed to transparency and pledged to uncover the true circumstances surrounding the controversial case.
However, the baby’s father, Mr. Praise Murbor, expressed disappointment over the government’s latest position, describing the new test as “unnecessary” because he said the hospital reportedly screened the baby to be HIV-negative before the transfusions.
“Sir, though I am thankful to the state government for all they have done since my family cried out, the body language of the Commissioner suggests the Ministry is trying to buy time and give professional cover to the hospital.
“If not that you (our correspondent) went to find out about the case, I would not have known this because the Ministry appears to have abandoned my baby apparently because he is not a son of influential parents.
“At a time, he said my baby may have been swapped at birth at the hospital, I told him that he was delivered at home, then he said the child may have been infected with HIV through unsterilized object used by traditional midwives to cut the umbilical cord, my baby completed two years, last September.
“Since August we have been waiting for the announced state-funded maternity test, now it is antigen tests instead of antibodies. Who knows what the Ministry will say next? I may have to look beyond the ministry for justice for my baby”, the baby father said.
Mr. Murbor, had last June alleged that his son tested positive for HIV after a blood transfusion at Safe Bliss Medical Centre, a private hospital in Benin City.
Following the publication of the incident, the Edo State Government swiftly sealed the hospital for operating illegally and launched an investigation led by Dr. Oshiomhole.
Meanwhile, the current whereabouts of the embattled hospital remain unknown. A visit to its former address 32, First Akugbe Lane, Off Upper Siluko Road, Oliha Quarters, Benin City, last week revealed that the premises are now occupied by another family as its signposts and other hospital materials were conspicuously absent.
Efforts to reach the management of Safe Bliss Medical Centre were unsuccessful, though the hospital had earlier promised to brief the press “at the appropriate time.”
The Edo State Ministry of Health said the outcome of the planned antigen test will determine the next steps in the ongoing investigation.
