We are not shirkers, says Dr Chua

NST: PUTRAJAYA: Health Minister Datuk Dr Chua Soi Lek clarified yesterday the Government is not shirking its responsibility by requiring blood transfusion recipients to sign a consent form.
He said the recently introduced ‘Consent Form for Blood or Blood Component Transfusion’ was not a disclaimer of responsibility but getting an informed consent.
"We are not shirking our responsibility. We are just informing patients of the risk and benefits involved in the transfusion," he said of our front page story on Monday headlined "Blood Contract".
It was reported that the Health Ministry is requiring signed consent from patients needing blood transfusion or blood components.
Dr Chua said: "Its not a disclaimer but an informed consent. There is a risk in transfusions from infectious diseases such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C, HIV and syphilis and complications may happen."
He said informing patients and family members of the risk was in accordance with medical ethics and the practice of transparency.
"Every doctor must explain to patients all the procedures, processes and treatments that are being recommended for them," said Dr Chua, adding that this was to ensure patients understood what was happening.
Dr Chua said patients had the right to accept or reject the procedures recommended by the doctor.
He said despite testing and screening, there was still the risk of developing the diseases and other complications.
"We have a screening system to ensure that blood supplied is clean and safe. This system has been tested and praised by the World Health Organisation because it is done in accordance with international standards," he said.
He said donors had to fill up a form stating their background. This helped authorities know whether they belong to low- or high-risk groups. Donated blood goes through a stringent process to ensure it is clean and safe for use.
"The Government spends RM200 on screening every bag of blood," said Dr Chua.
Every year, he said, some 440,000 people donated blood, but those from about 5,700 were rejected or destroyed.
Until June last year, there were reports of 25 cases of Malaysians infected with HIV through blood transfusion, with many having received the blood before 1986. Many of the victims were haemophiliacs. "After 1986 when we started doing stringent blood screening, the number of people infected with diseases or suffering complications from blood transfusion had dropped tremendously but sometimes it does occur due to the incubation or window period," he said.
He assured that the risk involved was "very minimal".
Dr Chua said the introduction of the informed consent was also in line with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s policy of transparency.