Jharkhand : Pregnant woman confesses to have AIDS, gets thrown out of hospital

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Pregnant woman confesses to have AIDS, gets thrown out of hospital

Sunday July 3 2005 00:00 IST IANS

RANCHI: A Jharkhand hospital has thrown out a pregnant woman after finding out

that she suffered from AIDS. The woman (name withheld) was admitted to the

Mahatma Gandhi Medical Hospital in Jamshedpur

town this week for delivery.

When her husband told the hospital that she was an AIDS patient, the hospital

administration asked her to leave disregarding orders from the district

authorities to provide her medical care.

" I have issued a notice to the hospital management. After going through the

explanation appropriate action will be taken against them, " Deputy Commissioner

Nitin Kulkarni said.

Kulkarni took exception to the manner in which the case was handled by the

hospital management. Fearing spread of AIDS, the doctors had even burnt the bed,

gloves, apron and other things the woman had used.

The hospital management initially said they were not adequately equipped to

treat AIDS. The woman had gone there for delivery, and not for AIDS treatment.

" The woman was honest to the hospital management who, instead of taking care of

her, threw her away, " said Kulkarni.

The hospital has now shifted the blame on the husband of the woman.

" The family members created the entire mess. Initially they did not provide any

blood report of the woman. Our hospital lacks facility to treat AIDS patients, "

said AK Verma, the hospital superintendent.

The State Aids Control Society (SACO) had taken up the case. " We are concerned

about such instances, " said DP Taneja of SACO.

Every year millions of rupees is spent on AIDS awareness programme.

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