Patient’s heart attack in the fear of ‘stigma’ around HIV

Mumbai: Although HIV / AIDS is no longer a death penalty with the availability of drugs, there are still many stigmats of these conditions as the behavior of relatives of patients in private hospitals recently shows.
The family of a 63-year-old man took him to Wockhardt Hospital, Agripada, while he had a heart attack but took him a few minutes later from the emergency room himself without giving reasons.
“The ECG report confirmed that he had a heart attack, his blood was collected for testing, and the family was told that he would need angioplasty immediately, but they suddenly said they did not want any treatment and release medical advice,” Cardiologist Dr.
Naem Hassanfatta.
However, in 20 minutes, they again said patients were very panting.
“This time they approve angiography and we immediately encourage patients to our Cath lab.
At this point, we accept calls from the pathology department that our patients are HIV-positive and we need to observe universal precautions to carry out the procedure,” said the doctor.
Anterior coronary arteries of 100% patients are clogged with lumps.
The family did not mention the patient’s status until the next day.
“The patient’s wife brought antivirus medicine and shared her detailed history.
I felt her words in-depth fear against discrimination,” said the doctor.
The patient recovered well after the procedure.
While operations on HIV-positive people are quite routine not to get to the main headline, experts say fear of stigmatization at work or health service hubs are still high.
“I myself operated on HIV-positive people but this time I was surprised by the level of family fear,” Dr.
Hassanfatta said.
Dr.
Ajay Mahajan, who heads the cardiology department of KEM Hospital, Parel, said, “We use universal prevention measures such as using two pairs of gloves and dispose of biomedical waste separately.
But operating in HIV-positive people is truly routine today.” Previous fear that HIV would spread through a touch no longer in the medical corridor and the doctor examined the same HIV-positive people as they would examine others, said Dr.
Mahajan.
The doctor operates in patients with hepatitis B, which is the most infective virus.
“We operate in positive covid patients today, so there should be no fear or stigma faced by HIV-positive people,” the doctor said.