Blood units transferred from faulty fridge mistakenly administered to Thalassemia patients

An incident has come to light involving several blood units that were transferred to an alternative refrigerator following a malfunction in a blood storage refrigerator, were mistakenly administered to Thalaseemia patients without clearance for transfusion.

Concerns have been circulating on social media, with allegations that compromised blood may have been administered to Thalassemia patients. Responding to the allegations, Maldivian Blood Services (MBS)’s Director General Ahmed Farish, confirmed to Sun that the blood administered to patients was not spoiled.

He explained that on the night of April 19th, a blood storage refrigerator experienced a technical malfunction. Following the detection of the issue, all blood units in the compromised refrigerator were promptly transferred to a functioning refrigeration unit on the same night.

Farish detailed that three units were administered by nursing staff before the completion of the required testing procedures for transfusion clearance.

“It was not spoiled blood. The refrigerator malfunctioned on the night of the 19th. Upon being notified, they [blood units] were immediately moved to a working refrigerator that same night. The incident occurred when nurses administered the blood before a final decision had been made regarding those specific units,” Farish said.

He added that the Maldivian Blood Services has launched an investigation into the incident.