Fake Doctors, Negligent Administration Lead to 33 HIV+ Cases in UP

(Photo: Altered By The Quint)

Reports of HIV in Unnao district of Uttar Pradesh are suddenly on a rise. At least 33 HIV-positive cases have been detected in four villages of the district. This rise has been attributed to quacks posing as ‘real doctors’.

One such quack, Rajendra Kumar, was recently arrested. He is accused of using one syringe on multiple patients, which increased the chances of the being infected with HIV. The people who have suffered include adults as well as children.

Also Read: Probe ordered after quack infects 40 with HIV

The situation was first brought to notice of the administration in April 2017. After similar cases were reported in November 2017, a two-member committee was set up by the health department.

The committee set up camps across the four villages on 24, 25 and 27 January and tested 556 patients. Out of these 556, 33 were found to be HIV-positive. Now, the residents are requesting the government to intervene and assist them. They have also alleged that the government controlled health centres aren’t taking proper care of the patients.

Government hospital don’t have enough medicines. The doctors then prescribe us expensive medicines that we have to buy from private medical stores. Those, who can’t afford it, are forced to consult quacks instead of proper doctors.

Wife of an HIV-positive patient

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Human Immunodeficiency Virus or HIV, which causes a significant damage to the immune system of the human body, can result in deadly diseases like AIDS. Application of one syringe on multiple patients is one of the most common ways by which HIV gets transmitted.

Hence, it is important to keep the fake doctors in check. As of now, only one such quack has been arrested. But will that be enough?

Video Editor: Mohd Irshad Alam