The largest government-run hospital in Maldives, Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH), has transfused HIV-positive blood to Saudi Crown Prince Salman Bin Abdul Azeez Al Saud.
"This is the saddest incident in the history of IGMH," Deputy CEO Dr Habeeb told reporters at a press conference held at midnight.
The Crown Prince was on a state visit to the Indian Ocean islands. He had planned to spend a holiday in a luxurious resort after meeting with the government officials.
A laboratory technician of Iranian nationality has been arrested, according to local press.
"We can confirm that a laboratory technician has been arrested under a criminal investigation," Commissioner of Police Hussain Waheed said. He declined to comment on the rumours that the technician had been earlier fired for negligence from a nuclear facility in Iran.
Health minister Mariyam Shakeela said she will not resign, downplaying what appears to be the biggest diplomatic row Maldives has faced since gaining independence in 1965.
"I have apologized to the Crown Prince and his family. I have also told him that the government of the Maldives will bear all expenses of any treatment the Crown Prince has to undergo from now on. This is a very sad and unfortunate incident but resignation is not a solution," Shakeela said.
The Crown Prince's press secretary Sheikh Masoud Al Imad Bin Al Shaheed Al Zuhair Al Mundhoodh has revealed more details about the incident.
"The Crown Prince did not visit IGMH to reccieve a blood transfusion. He went there to donate his blood. The Prince has been receiving numerous donation requests from the government of Maldives, including a request for a 300 million dollar loan. The prince is a generous philanthropist but he decided to donate his blood first, as a gesture of good will, and to connect the people of our brotherly two countries through the pure blood of the House of Saud," Al Mundhoodh clarified.
A serious mishap seems to have happened at IGMH when the Crown Prince was mistaken for another patient and given a blood transfusion which turned out to be HIV-positive.
Al Mundhoodh denied the rumours which are spreading in the Maldives that the Crown Prince has a special fondness for women of Eastern Europe and the Russian Federation.
"Blaming the victim is not a solution. As the heir to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and as a Prince groomed from the beginning to be the guardian of the two holy mosques, Prince Salman embodies the best virtues. We regret the rumours being spread in the Maldives to divert the focus from the terrible incident," an indignant Al Mundhoodh said.
The incident has eroded the confidence of Maldivian people on IGMH. Pregnant women say they would rather give birth at home than visit the largest public hospital. The demand for midwives and spiritual healers has increased overnight.
Moussa Nasim, a taxi driver, said he was apprehensive about going to IGMH for any type of treatment. He said, however, that he was more worried that Saudi Arabia might stop the donation of dates during the month of Ramadan.
"Without dates from Saudi Arabia, Ramadan will never be the same," he said as he charged me 50 rufiya, double the fare charged for a taxi ride in the 100% Muslim country.
