Agartala: Tripura state network of positive people (TSNPP) has accused health care system of spreading of HIV and AIDS in the state.
Addressing media here on Saturday, TSNPP general secretary Samir Banik alleged that despite specific direction of National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) and ministry of health except Agartala Govt Medical College (AGMC) and GBP Hospital, HIV test of pregnant women are not made mandatory in other hospitals.
‘In some cases health workers are not following prescribed precaution in operation theater, which increasing the incidences of HIV positive,’ Mr Banik alleged.
Citing an instance, he pointed out that a few days ago, an expecting mother reported to Dharmanagar district hospital for insti-tutional delivery.
The doctors carried out some basic test but not HIV before surgery. After delivery, she had deve-loped further complication, doctors referred her to AGMC where she was diagnosed HIV positive.
Finally, after brief suffer-ings she died leaving behind her six months old baby without proper treatment, Mr Banik said adding that Tripura doesn’t have any Community Care Centre (CCC) for health care of HIV positive patients.
‘Due to negligence of the doctors, the HIV infected mother were operated without precaution and definitely in the following surgeries in the hospital at least on the particular day.
As a result, the hospital when identify somebody infected with HIV, released them from the hospital with valid apprehension of further spread of the disease among other admitted patients.
Criticising the role of Tripura AIDS Control Society (TACS), TSNPP officials alleged neither the society nor health depart-ment is campaigning against the social stigma of HIV/AIDS.
Despite reporting the matter to the state govern-ment over the behavior of the doctors in dealing with HIV patients in the hospital and carelessness of the health staff no action is being taken yet, they alleged. Officially 1358 people including 417 female and three children were found infected with HIV positive but many of the cases are still undiagnosed either due to social stigma or not available diagnostic facilities in the hospitals. (UNI)