Re: Gujarat: HIV discrimination in state hosptials

[Guest guest]

Dear forum,

Time and again such reports as this remind us about the alarming scenario of

HIV/AIDS.

I live and work in Gujarat. During my interaction with quite a few doctors in

Gujarat I have often discussed this issue. While they admit that they are aware

of such incidents but they can not overlook the real risk factors.

They lament the lack of supply of gloves, needles etc. in the government set

up. Since majority of the trained doctors work in the government set-up, this

is an area which needs to be looked into.

However, the argument that the doctors need to be more careful and must take

universal precaution while dealing with any patient, HIV positive or not, does

not hold water with them. The fact remains that most of them try to avoid

HIV/AIDS patients.

Arati Samajpati

Director

Parivartan

E-mail: <parivartan@...>

[Guest guest]

Dear FORUM,

I give one example without prejudice.

at the middle of the night government hospital Supt. sent me the sample for HIV

test of a patient who was to be operated for obstructed inguinal hernia.

I obliged them by doing the same and the patient was HIV +ive and to my surprise

the patient was transfered to Ahmadabad civil hospital and the patient had

strangulation by that time and had to loose 2feet intestine.That was the prise

paid for discrimination (not a recent story)

I had followed the matter but the hospital staff gave the same excuse that they

were not equipped for HIV+ive. In another case last month there was a great

delay and lot of pressure has to build to carry out post mortem of HIV +ive

patient who died in prison, these are true stories from Gujarat.

Niloo vaishnav

E-mail: <shaillyv@...>

[Guest guest]

Dear Friends:

We at PRAYAS, our involvement in HIV/AIDS care issue is rather very new and we

are in the process of learning. We have yet to comprehend how the HIV/AIDS

awareness, prevention and management programme in India is carried on. May be

some friends take pains to educate us. The incident is like this :

Very recently our group members came across a woman about 25 years old with wo

children aged six and two years. She is illiterate and her husband died about a

month back. He was a labourer and used to migrate once in while to Gujarat for

work. While the older son has been alright, the younger son was constantly sick.

The woman also complained of health problems. Both younger and the woman were

tested for HIV through ELISA and 1st ERS test and found reactive. The tests were

done in the General Hospital, Chittorgarh after payment of Rs. 10/- Tests

reports have been provided to the mother with a verbal advise that she should

now go to Jaipur for more investigation and treatment.

Test report has a section on comment but nothing is written over there. The

woman also not been advised for anything else besides that she should go to

Jaipur.

Our enquiry revealed that she should get CD4 count done in order to have final

confirmation of the HIV. Since she does not possess a BPL card, she will have to

shell out Rs. 800/- for the test. Now the looming question before the woman is

how does she manage to go to Jaipur which is 350 kms. away from Chittorgarh,

where will she stay in Jaipur, where can she leave her older child and how can

she raise money for the test, travel, food and other expenses.

Our enquiries with the local health department and the Rajasthan State AIDS

Control Society revealed that there is no support provision.

Can somebody let us know about the provision for provisionally diagnosed

HIV/AIDS patients. We are afraid that there may many others who are not getting

tested and treated only because no resources are available with them.

Khem Raj

E-mail:<prayasct@...>

[Guest guest]

This is in response to the message from the PRAYAS, which stated

that " our involvement in HIV/AIDS care issue is rather very new and

we are in the process of learning "

It's encouraging to know that you have thought of the issue

as an important problem. First of all, you should encourage her to

take treatment in the District govt hospital for opprtunistic

infections for herself and her child. She might require admission to

come out of acute crisis.The govt hospital can instantly start

antiT.B. drugs if she has got T.B.similarly her general condition

can be stabilised if she recieves a well balaced diet.

Ideally, you should work towords building a hospise for such

patients if you can. Though it is a long term, time taking measure, it

is not impossible.When crores of rupees can be collected for

the tsunami victims,earthquake victims(though, i wonder if it

actually reaches them),a few motivated like you can come together

and start a hospise like the one we have at Kalamboli,Navi mumbai.

We have a 38 bedded hospise withall terminally ill patients.A team

of dedicated nurses, one dedicated doctor and the stabilised

patients are managing it successfully for the past 5 years.I will

invite you to come here and see how one can make a differance in the

lives of PLWHA(people living with HIV/AIDS)without making them do

cd4 counts ect unless you want to start ART -Anti retroviral

treatment which is not practically and rationally possible in such

class of Patients.

Keep your spirits high.If there is strong and genuine will to

help,there will denitely be a way.

Our Hospise Address is Jyothis Terminal Care Centre, Plot

no.4,sector 11,Kalamboli,Raigad, Navi mumbai,410218,

M.S.)Ph-27423399

You can call up to Sister Lekha or Sister Bede(The Sr.Administrator)

between 4-6 pm

Divya Mithel

E-mail: <d_mithel@...>

[Guest guest]

Dear Khemraj,

On behalf of DSACS let me inform you that in Delhi we provide free drugs for

opportunistic infections for all PLHAS in major hospitals of Delhi.

Not only that even anti retroviral drugs are available free of cost provided

Prayas takes the reposibilty of compliance and adherence. adherence is amajor

issue with ART. Thease drugs are being given at LN hospital room no.32 and RML

hospital in room no.48. For poor patients cd4 count can be done free.

Dr. Kapoor

Jai Pal Kapoor

E-mail:<jpkapoor@...>

[Guest guest]

Dear Dr. Kapoor:

Thanks for letting us know the pattern adopted by the DSACS with regard to the

management of PLHAs and your offer to provide assistance to the women & her

child. We have in fact through our efforts taken the woman and her child in

question to Jaipur, her CD 4 cell estimation is done without any fee (it could

happen only because our efforts are there) and now both of them are under care

of an organisation working for care and support of PLHAs in Jaipur.

In fact the reason we brought this issue for the esteemed readers of AIDS INDIA

e FORUM is to highlight the barriers experienced by ordinary people in India in

accessing appropriate care even for a disease like HIV/AIDS for which a big

alert is supposedly there and funds no problem.

This incidence forces us to think that a large number of people especially women

and children who do not have access to the testing facilities and management if

found positive. Some sensitive and effective out reach programme is immediately

needed.

Best regards.

Khem Raj

________________________________

Prayas, B - 8, Bapu Nagar,

Senthi, Chittorgarh 312 025 INDIA

Tel: +91.1472.243788/243674

Fax: +91.1472.250044

E-mail<prayasct@...>