Adhikary. Telegraph picture

Calcutta, May 22: An HIV-positive patient was allegedly driven out of Calcutta Medical College and Hospital today.

Nitai Adhikary, 32, was shoved out of the male medicine ward after his family was unable to pay Group D staff the Rs 200 they allegedly demanded to “arrange” a bed.

Adhikary, a goldsmith, is a resident of Ghatal in West Midnapore. He works in Calcutta and had fallen ill four months ago. He and his wife Uma were diagnosed HIV positive a few days back.

“He felt very weak and was having respiratory distress, so we took him to the School of Tropical Medicine,” said Biswanath Jana, a neighbour who accompanied Adhikary.

The doctors at STM recommended immediate hospitalisation, Jana said. “Since there was no bed vacant, they referred him to Calcutta Medical College.”

Accordingly, Adhikary was taken to the hospital. He was kept unattended in the emergency ward for hours.

Feeling helpless, his family members dialled Arunima Hospice in Behala, where HIV patients are looked after. A staffer, Ajoy Roy, came over to Medical College.

“I requested the resident medical officer (RMO) to get him admitted,” Roy said.

Around 1.15 pm, Adhikary was admitted on the floor of the male medicine ward. Soon after, a “one-armed ward boy” approached his family.

“He said if we paid Rs 200, he could arrange for a bed,” a family member said. “As we are very poor, we said we cannot pay.”

The ward boy then called others, dragged Adhikary out and left him on the road in front of the Emergency building. “If you don’t have money, then die,” one said.

Adhikary’s family then again called Roy who urged the RMO to admit him. “He abused and pushed me out of the ward,” Roy said.

Adhikary has been admitted to Arunima Hospice for the night. Medical College authorities said they would look into the matter tomorrow.