Chandigarh medical school employees use condoms & force themselves on patients

EXCLUSIVE By Vikas Kahol in Chandigarh
Showing the deathly rot that has set into the country’s public healthcare system HIV-positive patients, already bruised by their traumatic physical condition, are being physically abused by a gang of counsellors and laboratory technicians in Punjab and Haryana hospitals.Shockingly, among the hospitals is the Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) in Chandigarh, recognised as a centre of excellence along the lines of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).

The victims, who say their tormentors are the very people who are expected to protect them, have provided evidence of a rare kind of depravity where the counsellors and technicians operate in packs and often force patients who are commercial sex workers to procure other women for them. The attacks take place when the victims go for counseling or anti-retrovital (ARV) treatment.

One of them said the HIV-positive status of the patients did not deter the men who used condoms. She suggested the men perhaps had a "compulsive desire to have sex" and those visiting them for counseling were easy targets.

A month-long investigation by Delhi based News peper MAIL TODAY showed startling revelation of their abuse that has been going on for months. Assured of confidentiality, several victims spoke on camera to provide grisly details of the abuse and the modus operandi of their tormentors.

Expressing serious concern over the issue, Dr K K Talwar, Director, PGIMER said that it was difficult to believe that someone could sexually exploit an HIV positive patient. "I am duty bound to look into it," Dr Talwar said.

Take the case of Anu (name changed), a 30-year-old, who lost her husband about four years ago. The mother of two revealed that she goes to PGIMER in Chandigarh twice a year for her tests. "One of the attendants demanded that I sleep with him so that my reports are processed quickly. I resisted but had to give in finally since I required medicines," Anu said. The next time he demanded that she arrange a young girl. "Where do I get one?" asked Anu, who lives in Chandigarh.

Munni (name changed), a commercial sex worker said her troubles started when a counsellor came to know of her background. It was during an interaction – HIV patients are expected to share personal details about themselves with counsellors. Then, one day the man came with some friends and asked her to arrange sex workers for them. The men had Munni’s contact number and continued to hound her with what were evidently unreasonable demands. "It ended after I lost my mobile phone," said Munni.
The victims said that the men had a close knit nexus. Often they did not mind "passing" them on to other people for money and did not reveal their HIV status.

The victims are easy prey. The majority of women living with HIV are abandoned by their families. Others are fighting emotional, social and economic problems. Because it is difficult to conceal HIV status for long, they are ostracised. They succumb to the advances of people, who want to take advantage of them, said Manoj Kumar, a businessman from Punjab.

Manoj’s case is tragic. His wife had acquired HIV and he contracted it from her. "She was victimised by a group of technicians and counsellors," he alleged. The couple ultimately divorced when interference from the counsellors became unbearable, Manoj claims.The men who abused HIV patients were well aware that the women were acutely vulnerable.

Rani (name changed), a commercial sex worker, revealed that one technician wanted her to procure girls for him. Often he would stalk her. She is philosophical about the abuse. She explains that being poor and living with HIV, she does not mind having unsafe sex with anyone if they so insist.

In another case, Neetu (name changed) did not collect the report of baseline tests two years ago since the technicians asked her to come to a secluded place in Chandigarh to collect the reports. Two other girls narrate a similar encounter at hospitals in Amritsar and Panchkula.

The response from the medical community was one of disbelief, especially against the backdrop of the fact that the abuse was widespread. "I am totally floored and shocked to hear this," said Vanita Gupta, Joint Project Director, Chandigarh AIDS Control Society, Chandigarh. "It is our attempt not to harass people living with HIV. The issue needs proper investigation."

People working with HIV, however, hint at the problem. P. Kaushalya, president, Positive Women’s Network, India spoke to MAIL TODAY from Chennai stating that the cases of molestation of the women living with HIV had come to their notice from different parts of the country, including Tamil Nadu, Bihar, UP and Assam. "We will launch case studies in Chandigarh, Punjab and Haryana to gather evidences to check the menace," Kaushalya said.

Dr Ajay Wanchu, incharge of the Immune Deficiencies Department, PGIMER, said, "We will not spare anyone if we learn that they are exploiting patients."

vikas.kahol@mailtoday.in