SALEM: A day after a 30-year-old woman accused the Kilpauk Medical College Hospital (KMCH) for her HIV infection, a 29-year-old woman from Mecheri has raised a similar allegation against the government Mettur hospital. She claimed to have contracted the virus when she received treatment from a primary health centre (PHC) in Mecheri and then the Mettur hospital, during her pregnancy in 2014. However, Health officials have denied all the allegations.
Latha (name changed) was a resident of Mecheri. In 2014, when she was pregnant with her first child, she was advised to undergo blood transfusion given that she was anaemic. The process was then carried out at the government Mettur hospital.
In 2015, the woman again visited the Mecheri PHC for second pregnancy. This was when she was diagnosed with HIV. At this point, her daughter and her husband tested negative for the virus. The news led to the woman’s family picking up a quarrel with the doctors. However, they were assured monthly assistance of `1,000, besides quality treatment. It was considering the future of the two children that the family did not report the issue to higher officials, she said.
The woman’s husband urged the government to take action against the officials responsible. The future of his two daughters too was now in the balance, he added.
Speaking to media persons, district deputy director for Health Service K Poongodi informed that the department had launched an inquiry into the allegations. The woman’s donor was identified based on records at the Mecheri PHC and government Mettur hospital; the donor was found to be HIV negative still. She also drew attention to the fact that the woman’s husband and both children were free of infection. Had she contracted the infection during the blood transfusion in 2014, it should have spread to her children and husband; but they were healthy, she added.
Health secretary J Radhkrishnan assured that every case would be investigated to check for medical negligence. If proven to be true, they would be duly compensated, he added.