Source: newindianexpress.com
SAMBALPUR: HIV positive people under the banner of ‘Network of Positive People, Sambalpur’ have come out in support of VIMSAR dental surgeon PK Swain, accused of performing surgery on an afflicted patient without following protocol. The people on Saturday submitted a memorandum to the District Collector, addressed to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik demanding to end the inquiry going on against Swain.
On October 28, Swain had conducted the surgery of an HIV positive patient at the dental wing of the hospital. However, he was accused of not following set protocols for the surgery. Following the incident, on October 30, a five-member team was formed to probe the alleged violations. Hospital sources informed that the inquiry is in progress and the team is yet to submit is report.
Founder member and secretary of ‘Network of Positive People, Sambalpur’ Amarendra Behera said, “I have been witnessing cases where HIV positive patients are denied any kind of surgery in VIMSAR. The doctors here usually refer such patients to other hospitals. The HIV positive patients are also being subjected to discrimination since they are afraid to disclose their identity owing to social stigma associated with the disease.”
Under such circumstances, the surgeon, who performed surgery on an HIV positive patient on humanitarian grounds, deserves to be commended for his act. But instead, some people are trying to malign his image and the hospital authorities have initiated an inquiry against him which is unjust, he said.
Behera said the surgeon had taken all precautions while operating upon the patient. Besides demanding termination of inquiry against the doctor, the organisation asked the government to act against those who hatched a conspiracy to blame the surgeon. Moreover, they have urged the Chief Minister to take steps to felicitate the surgeon at the state capital on World AIDS Day for his noble act.