The State government on Wednesday informed the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court that financial assistance arrears to a woman, who was transfused with HIV-infected blood at Sattur Government Hospital in December, 2018, had been paid.
A Division Bench of Justices C.V. Karthikeyan and R. Sakthivel had directed the government to pay the arrears to the woman, and file a report. The court was hearing a batch of public interest litigation petitions that had sought a direction to the government to provide adequate compensation to the woman.
Earlier, the court had directed the State to pay a compensation of ₹25 lakh and provide her a government job. Subsequently, the court had directed the State to provide a monthly assistance of ₹7,500 to the woman taking into account the fact that she had to spend at least ₹250 to ₹300 on nutrition per day.
Apart from issuing the compensation amount, the State government had constructed a house for her and she was also provided a two-wheeler on the orders of the court.
The PIL petitions had also sought a direction to monitor blood banks in the State. The woman tested HIV positive after the blood of a donor was given to her at Sattur GH. She was pregnant at that time. She delivered a baby girl in January 2019. The baby tested HIV negative.
The monthly government assistance was given to the woman initially, but it was stopped after some time. Taking into account the submission made by the State, the court disposed of the matter posted under the caption ‘for reporting compliance’.
Published – September 23, 2026 08:51 pm IST
