Taking serious note of the official neglect that led to the infusion of infected blood into two patients and mismatched blood transfusion to a teenager in Phagwara, the Punjab Chief Minister on February 7 ordered a probe into the cases and also inspection of all blood banks across the state.

The order came after the media reported that two units of infected blood were issued for administering to two patients at the Civil Hospital in Phagwara near Jalandhar. The blood bank at Phagwara has since been shut. The Chief Minister directed the Health Department officials to thoroughly check all blood banks in Punjab to ensure that most stringent parameters were followed for collection and storage of blood. No laxity in this regard would be permitted, he added.