SAMBALPUR: 

The body of an HIV-positive patient was left abandoned for over 12 hours at the Veer Surendra Sai Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (VIMSAR) in Odisha’s Sambalpur district.

The hospital staff was reportedly fearing infection from touching the body.

“After the patient’s death, we informed the police as he was destitute. Police should have taken the body and kept it in their custody for 72 hours for any of his relatives to claim it. We also called a meeting to enquire about the matter,” VIMSAR Superintendent Jaysree Dora said on Monday.

According to Ms Dora, the patient came to the hospital with a serious eye condition and was given initial treatment but he died on Sunday.

“We are enquiring about any negligence that might have taken place and how long the body was left on the bed and not shifted. But, at the same, it was the responsibility of the police and not of the hospital authorities to look for the destitute patient’s relatives,” she said.

The body was later shifted to the mortuary at the hospital.

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With the growing number of HIV patients in Odisha raising a big concern, Health Minister Naba Kishore Das said public awareness is a must for control and eradication of AIDS.

Speaking at the State Level Sensitization and Preparatory Meeting for Intensive Health Camp-2019-20 organised by the Odisha State AIDS Control Society (OSACS) here on Wednesday, Minister Das said that AIDS has emerged as a dreaded disease since last few decadesand its lengthy and expensive treatment adversely impacts the socio-economic condition of the patient.

Urging for change in mindset for HIV-affected people, Das said that AIDS could be controlled with regular medical treatment and nutritious food.

As on July 2019, as many as 48,894 AIDS patients have been identified in Odisha and 86 percent of them have been treated through antiretroviral therapy free of cost. 96 percent pregnant women in the State have been tested for AIDS and of them 226 have been identified with the virus. Of the 99 percent common people, 3,273 have been diagnosed with the deadly virus. However, the spread of the disease has been checked to a great extent through the sincere effort by the State Government and massive awareness campaign ‘Know Your HIV Status’ by OSACS.

During the programme, OSACS Project Director Guha Poonam Tapas Kumar spoke about the various measures and awareness programmes initiated by the OSACS to check spread of AIDS in Odisha.

Speaking on the occasion, State Labour Commissioner Niranjan Sahoo said that awareness about AIDS among migrant labourers is essential to arrest the spread of the disease in Odisha. According to private sources, every year 2 to 6 lakh people of Odisha migrate to other States in search of work. Especially, people from Balangir and Nuapada districts move to neighbouring States and work in brick kilns for over six months in a year in very unhygienic conditions and get infected by HIV due to lack of awareness. These people should be included in various welfare schemes launched by the Odisha Government so as to check migration and spread of AIDS in the State, opined Sahoo.

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