Keonjhar: An HIV+ve youth allegedly committed suicide Tuesday after hospitals refused to treat him. The incident occurred under Soso police limits in Keonjhar district.
The body of the youth was found hanging from a tree near the village pond, following which his father lodged a complaint with the local police alleging medical negligence of his son.
According to reports, the youth working as an iron smith in Pondicherry had met with a road accident two months back in which he had injured his leg and hand. While undergoing treatment in a Pondicherry hospital, he was tested HIV+ve following which he returned to his village.
“He was supposed to undergo a surgery for his fractured hand in the Pondicherry hospital. However, after he was diagnosed HIV+ve, he was referred to Cuttack,” alleged his father.
“The doctors in SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack, after preliminary treatment, refused to treat him, saying he was HIV+ve. They discharged him without treatment,” added the father. Later, his family tried to admit him in SCB for HIV treatment but the authorities shooed them away citing unavailability of doctors. They referred him to Keonjhar hospital, reports said.
“When I took him to Keonjhar hospital they said those medicines for the disease are not available and they referred him to Bhadrak hospital,” said the youth’s father. On being taken to Bhadrak hospital, the doctors kept him on medication and refused to perform surgery.
“Disheartened over the mistreatment and humiliation, my son committed suicide,” said the father. CDMO Dr S Gadanayak said the youth was being treated at Bhadrak district headquarters hospital as it is an anti-retro viral therapy (ART) centre.
Based on a preliminary probe report, Anandapur SDPO Maheswar Sethi said the youth’s treatment was neglected at SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack while his family members had also neglected him.
Later, he committed suicide, Sethi added. He further said that a case of unnatural death was registered and a post-mortem of the body was carried out.
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