Nigeria: unscreened blood still given to patients
Ezeh, P.
New African 255: 61
1988
ISSN/ISBN: 0142-9345 PMID: 12342094 Document Number: 358252
Anti-AIDS groups in Nigeria have reported that blood transfusion, the use of blood-stained instruments for ritual circumcision, ear-piercing, and tribal face-scarring, drug abuse, and homosexuality are spreading AIDS throughout the country. Only 1 government hospital, the National Orthopedic Hospital in Enugu, Anambra State, requires blood-screening before transfusion. In other hospitals transfusions are given without screening because AIDS-testing equipment is not available and there are no funds with which to buy it. Doctors expect the number of AIDS cases to increase drastically in the next few years. Although, according to official figures, in August, 1988, there were only 30 people suffering from AIDS in the whole of Nigeria.