The victim woman. Telegraph picture

Paradip, May 4: A pregnant woman was shabbily treated in a government-run district headquarters hospital after being wrongfully branded as an HIV/AIDS carrier.

Refused allotment of bed, both the mother and the newborn had to lie on floor after the delivery.

Moreover, the woman continues to confront social ostracisation as the superstitious villagers are of the belief that the she has contracted the virus. People are of the belief that the HIV virus is air-borne and the virus carrier a potential threat to the locality.

Incidentally, the spouse of the woman is a tested HIV/AIDS carrier.

The district health authorities have ordered a probe into the alleged episode. The woman had knocked on the hospital in her advanced stage of pregnancy on April 20. The doctors, had hardly the time to carry out the mandatory HIV test before delivery.

As her spouse had earlier been diagnosed to be an HIV/AIDS carrier, they formed the opinion that the pregnant woman was virus infected. The hospital staff, including the gynaecologist, preferred to maintain safe distance from her. She, gave birth to a healthy baby without much hassle. The woman was driven out from the hospital bed. She spent the night on the floor with the newborn unattended by the medicos.

“The doctors and hospital staff were hesitant to attend my pregnant daughter-in-law. They did not provide her with a bed after the delivery. In disgust, we left a day after the delivery. I thank God that both the mother and the baby are now safe,” said Laxmipriya Nayak, victim’s mother-in-law of Chandagada village under the Alla gram panchayat.

“It’s extremely disconcerting to note that the personnel of government hospital are also driven by misconception about HIV/AIDS. They are duty bound to create awareness,” said Bairagi Mohanty, former sarpanch of the Alla gram panchayat.

However, their action was contrary to the duty assigned to them. We have drawn attention of the Orissa Human Rights Commission and higher ups of the state health department,” Mohanty added“The alleged lapses are being looked into,” said Rabindra Kumar Das, chief district medical officer of Jagatsinghpur. He refused to add further while stating that “the matter is under investigation”.

“The woman is now confronting social ostracisation even though she is free from the HIV/AIDS virus. As it has become public that her husband has contracted the disease, she is facing hostile environment with neighbours maintaining safe distance from the family. Her two teenage sons have been debarred from attending the local government-run school,” said Mohanty.