'Doctors to face heat if AIDS patient ignored'

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'Doctors to face heat if AIDS patient ignored'

Archana, TNN, May 27, 2010, 09.28pm IST

KANPUR: In wake of increasing cases of discrimination to People Living With

HIV/AIDS (PLHA) reported in different districts of the state, the health and

family welfare department has decided to take stern action against the doctors,

nurses and health workers for the denial of the services to the positive

patients. In defiance of the services being provided to PLHA under Ministry of

Health and Family Welfare, any verbal or written complaint can likely lead to

severe punishment to the hospital staff in both government and private sector

hospitals.

In an official letter issued by the principal secretary, Pradeep Shukla to all

the chief medical officer and principal of the medical colleges of the state,

attention has been drawn towards directives to enhance the extent and efficacy

of the treatment administered to PLHA's.

Mentioning that many times, cases are reported where medical staff in rural

areas refuse to provide treatment to the HIV patients after they are detected

HIV positive, the chief medical officer Dr Ashok Mishra informed that for the

comprehensive care of PLHA's at ART centre, all doctors, nurses and hospital

staff, whether in public sector or in private sector should treat PLHA's in a

professional and humane manner, always with dignity and care. " No doctors and

nurses shall refuse to treat a PLHA on account of his/her positive status. In

treating a PLHA, there shall be no discrimination or stigma whatsoever, " he

said.

Giving an instance, CMO said, " doctors and nurses create stigma at the time of

the delivery of an HIV positive pregnant females especially in the rural areas.

Thus, keeping in view of such practices, the National AIDS Control Organisation

(NACO) has a provision of post exposure prophylaxis wherein any doctor or

paramedical staff getting in contact with the blood or other fluid of an HIV

patient, will be provided anti retro viral medicine free of cost for the sake of

safety. "

But it is the irony that many a times PLHA's are not being treated in humane

manner, instead they are discriminated from the treatment as well as society.

Thus, to make the doctors and ART centres aware of their responsibilities, an

attempt has been initiated to provide better health care facilities to the

diseased.

Besides, government hospitals, directives have been issued to doctors in the

private sectors to get themselves familiarise with the NACO's comprehensive

protocol and policies with regard to care and treatment. " Generally there are

private practitioners who take advantage of the illiteracy and poverty of those

suffering with HIV/AIDS by prescribing wrong or unnecessary regimes of drugs or

charge an exorbitant amount, " said deputy chief medical officer, Dr Rajesh Jha.

" Such practices can be tackled only with the help of health associations like

Indian Medical Association, Surgeons of India, Indian Academy of Paediatrics and

others, " he said. " Strict actions has to be taken against the irrational

prescription of ART. While all the advertisements offering potential cure for

HIV must be banned and such organisations must be dealt strictly, as there is no

proven cure available for HIV/AIDS, " he added.

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