Conflicting versions of truth in blood inquiry

The Commission of Inquiry investigating the transfusion of HIV tainted blood to three patients at the K.H.M.H. has entered its second day…and the time has come to name names and point fingers. In her testimony today Joy Charlie, head of the Blood Donor Service, recounted an April fifth meeting called to discuss how the infected blood was released for use at the end of March. She said that at the meeting phlebotomist Marjorie Mariano described receiving a call from the Stat Lab at the hospital, requesting the blood, which was still tagged as untested. Mariano then called Leona Garbutt, a senior medical technologist in the Serology Department, who allegedly told her that the blood had been tested and cleared for use. Charlie then testified that Garbutt has denied giving Mariano any such okay. While Charlie has set the stage for conflict, the real drama will come when testimony is taken from the two women themselves. News 5’s Ann-Marie Williams asked Commission Chairman Sir George Brown what will happen tomorrow.

Sir George Brown, Chairman, Commission of Inquiry

“What has happened so far is that we have heard from people who are in management positions and they have been able to set a very clear picture as to how the system works. We have some idea as to where there may have been breakdown in machinery. Tomorrow morning we come to one of the key persons, starting at 10:00 with the phlebotomist, or the person who draws the blood. Following hearing from her, we go to the serologist. That is the person who tests for foreign bodies in the blood. I believe that following the hearing of evidence from these two persons, we will be very near to finding out where the system had broken down and what might have caused the transfusion of blood, which had the HIV virus in it.”

The Commission of Inquiry ended its hearing this afternoon by calling microbiologist Geraldine Ebanks, who basically confirmed Charlie’s account of the April fifth meeting.