Remember the Kerala girl who contracted HIV at hospital? New test says she’s negative

The parents while initially relieved, are also skeptical and await test results from a Delhi lab.
Remember the Kerala girl who contracted HIV at hospital? New test says she’s negative
Remember the Kerala girl who contracted HIV at hospital? New test says she’s negative
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Since September this year, the parents of the nine-year-old Kerala girl who tested positive for HIV after she started undergoing treatment for leukemia at Regional Cancer Centre (RCC) in Thiruvananthapuram, have been running pillar to post to figure out how their little girl contacted the deadly virus.

However, in a perplexing twist, the girl has now tested negative for HIV, or so say latest test results from a Chennai lab. The blood test was conducted on October 5.

While the parents are relieved, they are also unclear at this point about what to believe and whether this would have happened if they hadn’t moved to the Kerala High Court.

“They would have made by child a patient with HIV forever,” outrages the child’s father, “They would have suggested medicines to fight with the disease. She had even registered with Kerala AIDS Control Society. And now we have been advised to conduct a follow up test after three months.”

A blood test was also conducted in Delhi, the results of which are still awaited. “We are still scared,” the father added.

This has also led the parents to question the authenticity of the previous labs whose test results revealed that their daughter was HIV positive.

“One test was conducted at the government medical college hospital and after that at a private lab as well. Both said that she was HIV positive. I don’t know what exactly is happening. Since the beginning, we have received no clear answers from the RCC. It is no different now either,” he alleges.

It was in August that the parents had gone to the government medical college for the girl’s blood test. The result was a shock to the parents as their nine-year-old had tested negative for HIV before the leukemia treatment began at RCC.

The child meanwhile, was discharged on Wednesday. “She has undergone four rounds of chemotherapy. Even doctors from CMC Vellore confirmed that her cancer is cured now. But we don’t trust treatment there (at RCC) anymore. I fear that her life is in danger, I want her to be safe,” says the little girl’s father.

The whole ordeal has left the parents deeply disillusioned with the authorities. “Who should we complain to? If I complain to the Health Minister, they will set up a probe by a doctors’ team. How can we expect a probe by such a team could bring out the truth when the persons who are to be blamed are also doctors?” he asks.

In September, the girl’s mother had approached the Kerala HC seeking a central government enquiry. Now, the parents want the court to ensure that the enquiry is done fairly.

“We also appeal to the court to arrange for future tests to be done at another hospital. The enquiry should be conducted under the court’s observation; we don’t want the matter to be discussed and settled internally within the doctors’ circle. The truths should come out. I am ready to present all the treatment records anywhere. We have raised voice for all children who are patients at RCC,” the father asserted.

The family is now back in Alappuzha, their home district.

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