HIV Patient slapped by Coooper Doctor - Patient expires

[Guest guest]

Dear FORUM,

Last evening we reported to the forum that an HIV positive person (woman)

was reportedly slapped by a resident doctor at Hospital (Parle West,

Mumbai - India) when he learnt of her HIV (positive) status after he had

operated on her.

We are deeply saddened to inform the forum that the mentioned patient

expired this morning (25th May 2004).

However the entire motive of bringing this to the notice of the forum

members and others ( stakeholders ) is not that an individual be punished,

but to address a deeper problem.

Instances such as this bring to light issues such as:

a)Should a patient inform the hospital authorities about his / her HIV

status ?

How does one protect the HIV positive patient against discrimination

once his/her status is revealed to the authorities (intentionally/

unintentionally) ?

c)Aren't the authorities to take all necessary precautions in each case?

d)Do we have a system to train medical staff against discrimination ?

Shouldn't this be part of their curriculum ?

e)If qualified , educated and trained professionals like a doctor in

this case can react in such a manner, what does the average patient face in

his/her interaction with other medical assistants ( Nurses, ward boys etc)? How

do we address this issue?

f) Why is it that people from the community ( mostly slum ) are not

eager to go for treatment in STD/HIV to Govt facilities? Why do they prefer

Quacks and non-qualified practitioners ? Is there an issue of sensitivity in

handling such cases ?

And many more..

We must seek to address these issues at all levels ....

We urge you to respond

Deepak Dobhal

Project Director - HIV/AIDS

HOPE foundation

E-mail:<hopemum@...>