Bhatkal, May 29: A horrendous mistake committed by a lab technician in Bhatkal could become a reason for divorce and could also kill an unborn child along with the pregnant lady. Aasma, W/o Mohammed Raahil, who is in the seventh month of her pregnancy, was declared HIV positive according to the report given by Seema Diagnostic Laboratory in Bhatkal.
Aasma’s gynaecologist had prescribed a few tests for Aasma to track the normality of her pregnancy. On 17th of May, Aasma visited Seema Diagnostic Laboratory for her routine tests as prescribed. After the tests, on the same day, Rafia, Aasma’s sister in law visited the laboratory to get the reports, where the lab technician Rekha N Naik indecently told Rafia that Aasma was HIV Positive, before handing over the report.
Keeping Aasma’s pregnancy in mind, Rafia decided to quietly go home and hide the reports from Aasma to avoid any unpleasant effects. However this dint last long, Aasma unfortunately found the reports on 25th of May and to her surprise when she opened it and found the report being HIV Positive, she attempted to commit suicide by hanging herself from the ceiling fan at her home.
Rafia stopped her at the right time and took her to the Government Hospital in the town. The doctor was well informed about the earlier reports; therefore as further precautions he performed two different tests of HIV to ascertain the facts. And this doctor declared that the “earlier reports were false”.
While talking to SahilOnline, Taluka Health Officer Krishna G informed that there are certain ethics that has to be followed when an HIV positive patient is informed about the reports. They are referred to the counselling centre and the report is patiently handed over to the relative of the patient. He asserted that Rekha’s behaviour was extremely unethical and immoral according to the medical standards.
Seema Diagnostic Laboratory is operated and administered by Rekha and her husband Prakash N Naik. When SahilOnline approached them to find out about their blunder, they entirely blamed the lab equipment. They claimed that the blood samples were processed in the lab equipment and the reports were produced accordingly without any manipulation. This would actually make one think about how many false reports must have been produced by this lab equipment and how many would have been victimised with this.
Aasma was an active social worker in Udupi before her marriage. Aasma’s report had triggered regular arguments at her home. The lady who was seven months pregnant was almost traumatised for sometime, when her husband was on the verge of divorcing her on basis of these false reports. This blunder had almost ruined the life of this innocent lady. If it was not for Rafia, who thought that second opinion would make a difference, Aasma would be dead along with the unborn child and the guilt of doing nothing.
Rafia questions if a second thought wouldn’t have been given to the false reports, who would take the responsibility of all the broken relationships and murders. There may be many others who must have been swindled by such false reports, “I wonder if everybody takes the pains of verifying the reports,” she added.
–ASource: Sahilonline.org