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File photo: A woman whose son was infected with HIV, wearing a face mask baring the words "Blood products infect us with AIDS" cries during an AIDS awareness event on the World AIDS Day. (AP Photo/Andy Wong, File) Andy Wong

A 5-year-old girl contracted HIV from a blood transfusion

According to the National Health and Family Planning Commission – nearly half a million people are living with HIV/AIDS in China.

A FIVE-YEAR-OLD girl contracted HIV through a blood transfusion she had during an operation four years ago.

Health authorities in the Fujian province of southeast China have confirmed the news to the country’s official news agency Xinhua.

The child, Maomao, (not her real name) was just eight-months-old when she underwent heart surgery for congenital heart disease in 2010.

She tested positive for the virus in September 2014 after she had come down with a fever for 17 days.

Xinhua reports that Maomao’s medical fees have spiralled to 300,000 yuan (almost €41,000) and her family are now in debt.

The provincial health and family planning committee said the Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, where the operation took place, and the blood center, which supplied the blood, must give “humanitarian compensation” to the child.

Yang Minhong, an official with the committee, said:

One of eight blood donors, whose blood was used during Maomao’s operation, is a person living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA), who had no idea that he/she was a PLWHA when he/she donated blood, and the blood was accepted as he/she was in a ‘window period’.

The same donor’s blood was also used for two other operations, and officials are trying to track down the patients.

The investigation into Maomao’s case found that neither the hospital nor the blood center had broken any law or regulation on blood collection and transfusion.

However, the hospital and the blood center are starting negotiations with Maomao’s parents regarding the compensation.

Read: Women using birth control shot have increased risk of contracting HIV>

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    Mute Pól Ó'hAodha
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    Jan 24th 2022, 8:48 PM

    NIMBYs incoming

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    Mute Darren Callaghan
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    Jan 24th 2022, 9:18 PM

    @Pól Ó’hAodha: :) so far so good

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    Mute Darren Callaghan
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    Jan 24th 2022, 9:17 PM

    Plans look good and what a central location to live with everything on your doorstep, good luck to the lucky tenants that will live in them private or council owned

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    Mute Liam Mc Meel
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    Jan 24th 2022, 8:53 PM

    Brilliant news

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    Mute Anthony Horan
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    Jan 25th 2022, 8:48 AM

    It’s a sad state of affairs when we need to go for cabinet approval to build some apartments.

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    Mute Patrick FitzGerald
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    Jan 25th 2022, 2:39 PM

    @Anthony Horan: You mean using *public* land to enrich private landlords? Yeah, that definitely shouldn’t be allowed. Ever.

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    Mute Rob Gale
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    Jan 25th 2022, 7:58 AM

    They look like they’ll make decent barracks for the Russians when they take over. Timing is off tho they won’t be ready by then.

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    Mute Caddyshack
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    Jan 24th 2022, 9:22 PM

    Great news

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    Mute Gary Kearney
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    Jan 25th 2022, 12:46 PM

    They were all social housing and that was what was wanted again, now the vultures can swoop in.

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    Mute Patrick O Connell
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    Jan 25th 2022, 4:14 PM

    @Gary Kearney: and the people in social housing get a free house, it’s a win win

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    Mute Craic_a_tower
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    Jan 26th 2022, 7:51 AM

    @Gary Kearney: I take it you never saw the place when it was occupied.

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