The Hindu : Front Page : Mayawati orders probe into Meerut incident

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Saturday, Jun 30, 2007
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Mayawati orders probe into Meerut incident

Atiq Khan

Husband of HIV-positive woman forced to deliver baby as doctors stay away

LUCKNOW: Taking strong objection to an HIV-positive pregnant woman being disowned by doctors at the Meerut Medical College Hospital, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati has ordered a probe into the episode.

Sunita, a 28-year-old full-blown AIDS patient in Meerut married to a slum-dweller, Raees Abbas, faced a difficult situation when the doctors refused to conduct the delivery fearing that they would be afflicted by the deadly disease. Eventually her husband was forced to deliver the child reportedly under the supervision of the doctors, including the gynaecologist.

A senior official of the Chief Minister’s Secretariat in Lucknow told The Hindu that Ms. Mayawati was concerned about the aggrieved and immediately ordered the Minister for Medical Education, Lalji Verma, to gather facts regar ding the incident.

The official said State Principal Secretary (Medical Education) Arun Kumar Mishra contacted senior district and health officials in Meerut, including the District Magistrate and the Chief Medical Officer, and asked them to send a detailed report to the Govt. Since the DM was in Lucknow, the Chief Development Officer of Meerut conducted the inquiry. The report is expected to reach the Medical Education Minister on Saturday. The official said action would be taken after the Chief Minister goes through the report.

The Uttar Pradesh State AIDS Control Society has sent a team to Meerut, and a team from the National AIDS Control Society (NACO) has reportedly reached the city.

Sunita was admitted to the hospital on Wednesday night by her husband, but when the doctors realised she was HIV-positive, they reportedly refused to attend to her. They asked her husband to take her away. However, when her condition deteriorated, the doctors reportedly forced Raees to conduct the delivery of his wife. The doctors reportedly supervised the delivery. A baby boy was born.

According to the U.P. AIDS Control Society, there are 21,399 HIV-affected persons in U.P., of whom 3,053 are full-blown AIDS patients.

Two doctors suspended

The U.P. Govt. on Friday suspended two doctors of a government hospital in Meerut for refusing to handle the delivery of the baby.

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