Chincholi-based doctor dies under suspicious circumstances in Australia
Kalaburagi: The death of a medical specialist and a native of Chimmanachoda village in Chincholi taluk, Dr. Rahul Chandraprakash Ragate (30), under mysterious circumstances near a bridge in Gold Coast city of Australia on Thursday morning has come late to light.
The deceased Dr. Ragate was reportedly the son of Dr. Chandraprakash Ragate, a retired district surgeon from Bidar district, and Vijayashree.
On Thursday morning, Dr. Ragate is learned to have gone for a swim near the bridge. The passersby, however, noticed that he did not resurface for a considerably long time and, turning suspicious, informed the Queensland Police. The doctor's body was found after a search conducted by the investigation team.
The doctor's friend Shivakumar Chetty has said that Dr. Ragate had been registrar at the University of Birmingham, UK, before shifting to Australia. He has been working in Gold Coast since June 1 and had gone for a walk on Thursday morning near the site where he reportedly drowned, which has given rise to suspicion regarding the cause for his death. A police investigation would reveal the truth, Chetty has added.
Former Union Minister Bhagwanth Khoona has reportedly spoken to the Indian Embassy in Australia asking for necessary steps to be taken to send Dr. Ragate's body back to India.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
4 children test HIV positive in MP govt hospital; contaminated blood transfusion suspected
Satna/Bhopal (PTI): Four children suffering from thalassemia have tested HIV positive at Satna District Hospital in Madhya Pradesh allegedly due to contaminated blood transfusions, officials said on Tuesday.
The case is four months old and an investigation is underway into it, an official said.
Officials suspect the use of contaminated needles or blood transfusions for the spread of infection to the children.
ALSO READ: 3 Indian students among those injured in Australia’s Bondi Beach attack
MP Health Minister Rajendra Shukla told reporters in Bhopal that he has ordered a probe into the matter and sought a report.
“It is also being investigated whether the blood transfusion took place in other hospitals also or only in the government hospital,” he said.
The affected children, aged between 12 and 15 years, received blood transfusions from the hospital's blood bank, as per an official.
Devendra Patel, in-charge of the blood bank at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel District Hospital in Satna, said four children have tested HIV positive and an investigation is underway to determine how they got infected.
"Either an infected needle was used or a blood transfusion occurred. These are the two main reasons I believe. Blood transfusion seems to be the most likely cause," he told PTI Videos.
All these children suffer from thalassemia, and some have received 80 or 100 blood transfusions, he said.
A family member of one of the affected children said that their child was found to be HIV positive during a routine checkup about four months back, and he has been receiving medication, but it had proven to be of no use.
After taking the medication for HIV, the child starts vomiting, feels low and becomes ill, he said.
After the four children were detected with HIV infection, their family members were also tested and the results came out negative, he added.
The Opposition Congress targeted the government over the matter and demanded the resignation of Health Minister Shukla.
Speaking to reporters in Bhopal, Congress MLA and former minister Sachin Yadav claimed such incidents were continuously occurring in Madhya Pradesh.
Earlier, a case of toxic cough syrup came to light in Chhindwara, followed by incidents of rat bites at hospitals in Indore and Satna, and now children have been given HIV-infected blood, he said.
"The health minister is unable to manage the department. He should resign. A murder case should be filed against those responsible for the Satna incident," Yadav said.
Senior Congress leader Sajjan Singh Verma termed it a failure of the government. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav's government has no connection with ground realities, he charged.
"Somewhere rats are roaming in hospitals, somewhere children are being given HIV-infected blood. Instead of preventing HIV, you are spreading it. Mohan Yadav should wake up from his slumber. Children are the nation's heritage and should be taken care of," he added.
