Activists and nurses allege that doctor hid patient's HIV status from staff
Activists and nurses allege that doctor hid patient's HIV status from staff
In a dramatic turn of events at Pune Cantonment Board general hospital, a legal battle has started between activists supported by the nursing staff and a doctor of the hospital backed by the administration. The doctor had treated an HIV patient at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Hospital without informing the staff.
On April 24, gynaecologist Dr Archana Gupta carried out an emergency operation on a four-and-a-half-month pregnant patient Sheetal Waikar (name withheld to protect identity), who had a miscarriage in the process. Waikar, who was brought to the hospital in an emergency situation with pain and bleeding by Dr Gupta, later tested positive for HIV.
In a complaint filed independently with the commissioner's office, a few local political activists have alleged that Gupta knew of the patient's HIV status but hid it from the staffers. They also alleged that the foetus was missing as the patient's husband had taken it away.
In the complaint, they also mentioned that since it was a girl child, Waikar had come for an abortion. Staffers informed the activists that the foetus was beyond 20 weeks and it was illegal to carry out an abortion.
u00a0"The foetus was within 18 weeks and was not taken away by the father. Our complaint is that the doctor deliberately tried to hide the patients HIV positive status and put employees at a risk of infection," said a senior nurse on condition of anonymity. She said that the private lab conducting pre-delivery tests was instructed not to conduct HIV tests on Waikar even when it is a mandatory procedure.
Dr Gupta said that allegations against her were incited by staffers who discriminate against HIV patients.
"I asked the clinic to do only essential tests as she was poor and I wanted to save her money. No medical code says that an HIV test is compulsory during emergency. Every patient is entitled to treatment," said Gupta.
According to her, Waikar got admitted at 1:30 pm and delivered a foetus of 18 weeks weighing roughly 300 gms.
Resident medical officer Dr S M Mahajan supported Gupta. "The case papers show that the woman came in an emergency so it wasn't a case of abortion. The foetus was within 18 weeks and the dead foetus was disposed in routine manner by hospital staffers," said Mahajan.
When inquired about the police case, he too alleged that a few staffers of the hospital were doing this, as they didn't like to handle HIV patients at hospital.
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