Saudi HIV transfusion girl seeks $13m payout

The lawyer of a girl in Saudi Arabia who was infected with HIV after receiving a botched blood transfusion has said that he will seek SAR50m (US$13m) in compensation from the Ministry of Health, it was reported.

Thirteen-year old Reham Al-Hakami contracted the virus at a hospital in the south-western city of Jazan last month following a transfusion of blood that had been improperly screened.

She had been suffering from sickle-cell anaemia and had been receiving transfusions since she was eight  years old

Since the case came to light, seven ministry officials at the hospital including the director general, have been fired, with others stripped of their licenses and handed fines.

Al-Hakami’s lawyer, who was not named in the article, told English language Saudi Gazette that he was also seeking overseas treatment for his client as part of any payout from the ministry.

“This is not a big amount given what happened to Reham,” he said. HIV is the virus that causes AIDS, a fatal condition.

Since the incident at Jazan, all blood donations to the city’s general hospital have been ceased until improved screening measures have been introduced.