HIV-positive woman accuses Moradabad District Hospital of denying her treatment

Moradabad (Uttar Pradesh) [India], Oct. 7 (ANI): In a shocking incident, a HIV-positive woman resident of Rampur has alleged that doctors at the Moradabad District Hospital refused to provide her treatment, even as she has been lying in the hospital's verandah for more than a week. Her son said the doctor refused to admit her and asked them to first lodge a complaint with the police, and then, they would start her treatment. "I have been suffering from cough and high fever for long and even took treatment for tuberculosis (TB). Now, they are saying that I am suffering from Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)," the 55-year-old patient told ANI. "Doctors have refused to treat me by saying that they do not treat people like me. I have been lying at the hospital's veranda for over a week now," said the woman, adding that "doctors told her that patients like her don't have medicines". The patient's son told ANI: "They did not admit her and asked to come to the hospital on October 5. They are saying that my mother is suffering from HIV. They are not admitting her and have asked to buy some medicines, which we cannot buy because we are poor. Doctor refused and asked to first lodge a complaint with police, and then they would treat her." District hospital in charge Dr. Ashok Kumar said, "A woman came from Rampur and we found that she was lying in the veranda of our OPD (Out Patient Department). We noticed her lying there and admitted her at 10 p.m. on Tuesday. However, after two-three hours, she went out and slept in the lawn. We are treating her and also sent her to ART centre for further treatment. Normally, people come here and lie down. We never refuse to admit a patient." (ANI)