Punjab’s Mansa witnesses tragic abandonment of HIV-positive patient, investigation initiated

In Punjab’s Mansa, a late 40s HIV-positive patient passed away after reportedly being deserted alongside another patient overnight on Wednesday to Thursday. Dr. Ranjit Rai, acting civil surgeon, has initiated a thorough investigation conducted by a three-member team into this distressing incident.
The deceased, coping with Hepatitis C and tuberculosis, had received treatment at Mansa’s Civil Hospital. Allegedly, both he and the other patient, Rinku Singh, were taken from the hospital via a private ambulance and abandoned near the city cemetery.
On Thursday morning, local residents discovered the patients on the roadside and promptly transported them back to the hospital. The deceased’s body remains at the Civil Hospital’s mortuary while Rinku is undergoing treatment under the orthopaedic department, as mentioned by Dr. Rai.
Dr. Rai disclosed that initially, the surviving patient remained silent but eventually identified himself as Rinku Singh on Friday morning, revealing his connection to Narwana Sangh in Gujarat. Authorities plan to notify the state police to collaborate with their Gujarat counterparts to gather more information.Distinguishing the medical conditions, Dr. Rai highlighted that while Rinku only suffered from an orthopedic issue, the deceased battled HIV, Hepatitis C, and tuberculosis. A private ambulance driver, Kaka Singh, alleged receiving Rs 400 from a doctor and a staff nurse to abandon the patients. Babbi Kumar, another private ambulance driver, claimed to have admitted the initially unidentified patients to the Civil Hospital on November 14, with one being a victim of a vehicular accident. Subsequent tests revealed the HIV-positive status of one patient. A committee comprising Dr. Jeewan Singh, Dr. Kamaldeep Singh, and Dr. Richa Goyal is investigating the matter and is expected to provide a prompt report for necessary action, stated Dr. Rai. Senior Superintendent of Police (Mansa) Nanak Singh indicated that the civil surgeon is currently leading the inquiry. RTI activist Manik Goyal, a Mansa resident, demanded an impartial investigation into the incident, denouncing the apparent negligence within the Health Department and stressing the urgency for a fair probe.