HIV-positive patient made to shuttle between civic hospitals; MDACS orders inquiry

A 37-year-old HIV-positive man faced delays in appendectomy, being shuffled between hospitals, prompting an inquiry into possible discrimination and negligence.

MUMBAI: A 37-year-old HIV-positive patient in need of an emergency appendectomy was allegedly denied timely surgery and made to travel between three civic-run hospitals before receiving treatment elsewhere, prompting the Mumbai District AIDS Control Society (MDACS) to open an inquiry into possible medical negligence and discrimination.

HIV-positive patient made to shuttle between civic hospitals; MDACS orders inquiry

The patient, a resident of Borivali, was admitted to Shatabdi Hospital in Kandivali on October 31 after complaining of severe abdominal pain. Diagnostic tests, including an ultrasound, indicated sub-acute appendicitis, a condition that generally requires urgent surgical intervention to prevent complications such as infection or rupture. Yet, despite being categorised as an emergency, the surgery was not performed.

Instead, the man was discharged the same day and referred to Cooper Hospital. When he reached Cooper, doctors questioned the basis of the referral and sent him back, following which the patient was directed to Nair Hospital. He finally underwent treatment there.

For the patient, already coping with a chronic and stigmatised health condition, the ordeal was distressing. “I was in pain and needed help. But instead of surgery, I was told to go from one hospital to another,” he said. “Shatabdi is the only civic hospital near my home. Travelling long distances while in pain and scared made everything worse. I kept wondering if it was happening because of my HIV status.” He is now recovering at home.

“We are examining whether the referral was guided by clinical considerations or if there was any form of discrimination,” a senior MDACS official said. “We will issue findings once the inquiry is complete. No patient should face delays in life-saving care due to their health status.”

Inside Shatabdi, the case has also triggered internal concerns over staffing and administration. Several staffers, speaking on condition of anonymity, alleged that senior doctors often leave the hospital after marking attendance, returning later only to record exit biometrics. “Basic emergency surgeries get delayed because senior surgeons are not consistently available,” a staffer said. “In this case, the patient’s condition required timely intervention.”

However, Shatabdi Hospital’s medical superintendent, Dr Ajay Gupta, denied any lapse in care. He stated that the decision to refer the patient was based solely on clinical considerations. “The patient required an emergency appendectomy. However, due to his concurrent medical condition and because our operation theatre was undergoing scheduled sterilisation that day, we referred him to a higher centre,” he said. “There was no intent to deny treatment.”