HIV Threat: A Challenge Yet to Overcome for Safe Blood Transfusion

The Human Immune Deficiency Virus has been able to threaten the human population all over the world for the last four decades. Presently, an alarming number of people are living with HIV/AIDS and a huge number are getting infected every year. Though global trends show a gradual decline in the number of HIV infected persons since 2010, yet, the numbers are alarming enough to send chills down the spine of human race. Among the different modes of HIV transmission, blood transfusion is one of the important routes by which people may acquire the infection. The risk of HIV infection through blood transfusion depends on several factors. Proper and effective screening of blood is therefore mandatory. Non-remunerated and voluntary blood donation services are to be stressed upon. So, utmost caution and more effective advanced screening techniques along with training and orientation of the counselors is the call of the hour to decrease the spread of HIV infection through blood transfusion.