Maldives Blood Services (MBS) has clarified reports regarding the administration of blood to thalassemia patients, denying claims that “spoiled” blood was used while confirming the suspension of an employee for negligence.

In a formal statement, MBS addressed recent media reports, explaining that the incident stemmed from a freezer malfunction on the night of April 19, 2026. While the storage temperature rose from the standard range of 2–6°C to 11°C, medical standards suggest blood remains safe for up to four hours if it does not exceed 10°C. MBS confirmed that logs show the blood was moved to a secondary freezer promptly, and thus was not contaminated.

However, protocol requires rigorous quality assurance checks following any such deviation. MBS revealed that three patients received blood on April 20 before these checks were finalized. A staff member found to have bypassed reporting procedures was suspended on April 23. As a precautionary measure, the remaining nine units from that batch were destroyed, and the affected families have been briefed on the situation.

The Maldives Blood Services has apologized to the thalassemia community through their official channels and met with the families involved. The organization has assured the public that stringent measures are now in place to prevent a recurrence of such administrative lapses.