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Photos: Unnao HIV quack arrested but questions over healthcare remain

At least 58 people in Uttar Pradesh’s Unnao tested positive for HIV after a quack allegedly used the same syringe to administer injections to all of them. While the quack has been arrested, the condition of healthcare available in the area raises questions.

Updated on: Feb 10, 2018 12:08 PM IST

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Medicines are laid out at a local clinic at Bangarmau in Unnao, Uttar Pradesh. Police on February 07, 2018 arrested an unlicensed self-styled doctor accused of infecting at least 58 people with HIV in Unnao by allegedly using the same syringe to inject all patients. While an FIR has been lodged against accused Rajendra Yadav, district administration also said it was looking at other reasons for the rapid spread of the infection in Bangarmau. (Sanchit Khanna / HT Photo)

Updated on Feb 10, 2018 12:08 PM

Medicines are laid out at a local clinic at Bangarmau in Unnao, Uttar Pradesh. Police on February 07, 2018 arrested an unlicensed self-styled doctor accused of infecting at least 58 people with HIV in Unnao by allegedly using the same syringe to inject all patients. While an FIR has been lodged against accused Rajendra Yadav, district administration also said it was looking at other reasons for the rapid spread of the infection in Bangarmau. (Sanchit Khanna / HT Photo)

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A view of a local clinic in Bangarmau. The infections highlight challenges that India faces in the healthcare sector, because of an acute shortage of doctors and health workers. The doctor-patient ratio in India is 1:1,674 against the WHO recommended 1:1,000. The shortage of health providers and infrastructure is most acute in rural areas, where people turn to quacks in desperation. (Sanchit Khanna / HT Photo)

Updated on Feb 10, 2018 12:08 PM

A view of a local clinic in Bangarmau. The infections highlight challenges that India faces in the healthcare sector, because of an acute shortage of doctors and health workers. The doctor-patient ratio in India is 1:1,674 against the WHO recommended 1:1,000. The shortage of health providers and infrastructure is most acute in rural areas, where people turn to quacks in desperation. (Sanchit Khanna / HT Photo)

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Dr. Sunil Rathore, medical officer of the Community Health Centre Clinic (CHC) at Bangarmau in Unnao. There are only six doctors against the sanctioned strength of 12 here, and none of them are specialists. Quacks, who offer treatment for as little as Rs 5 and Rs 10 along with medicines, were the lifeline for Premgunj residents who rarely go to the CHC. (Sanchit Khanna / HT Photo)

Updated on Feb 10, 2018 12:08 PM

Dr. Sunil Rathore, medical officer of the Community Health Centre Clinic (CHC) at Bangarmau in Unnao. There are only six doctors against the sanctioned strength of 12 here, and none of them are specialists. Quacks, who offer treatment for as little as Rs 5 and Rs 10 along with medicines, were the lifeline for Premgunj residents who rarely go to the CHC. (Sanchit Khanna / HT Photo)

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The dispensary seen at the Bangarmau CHC clinic. “These doctors (quacks) were our only hope. We cannot afford treatment in Kanpur or Lucknow. Where do we go now?” said Ramsakhi Devi, 45, a resident of Premgunj, the village from where 50 of the 58 confirmed HIV cases were reported. “Doctors at the CHC write medicines that are not available at their pharmacy and cost a fortune outside,” she said. (Sanchit Khanna / HT Photo)

Updated on Feb 10, 2018 12:08 PM

The dispensary seen at the Bangarmau CHC clinic. “These doctors (quacks) were our only hope. We cannot afford treatment in Kanpur or Lucknow. Where do we go now?” said Ramsakhi Devi, 45, a resident of Premgunj, the village from where 50 of the 58 confirmed HIV cases were reported. “Doctors at the CHC write medicines that are not available at their pharmacy and cost a fortune outside,” she said. (Sanchit Khanna / HT Photo)

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The syringe infection theory itself has raised doubts because of the nature of the virus and how injections were administered according to the district’s chief medical officer SP Chowdhary. “There is a possibility that it is a wrong accusation against the doctor,” said Chowdhary. Adding that, “The area has a high migrant trucker population, and the prevalence of unprotected sex could be the likely reason.” (Sanchit Khanna / HT Photo)

Updated on Feb 10, 2018 12:08 PM

The syringe infection theory itself has raised doubts because of the nature of the virus and how injections were administered according to the district’s chief medical officer SP Chowdhary. “There is a possibility that it is a wrong accusation against the doctor,” said Chowdhary. Adding that, “The area has a high migrant trucker population, and the prevalence of unprotected sex could be the likely reason.” (Sanchit Khanna / HT Photo)

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Adding to the misery of Premgunj residents is the stigma attached to HIV. People say they have already started feeling socially ostracised, with friends abandoning them for being from the ‘HIV village’. Others speak of marriage proposals being turned down after news of the incident spread. (Sanchit Khanna / HT Photo)

Updated on Feb 10, 2018 12:08 PM

Adding to the misery of Premgunj residents is the stigma attached to HIV. People say they have already started feeling socially ostracised, with friends abandoning them for being from the ‘HIV village’. Others speak of marriage proposals being turned down after news of the incident spread. (Sanchit Khanna / HT Photo)

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Top health department officials in Unnao were told about a quack transmitting HIV by reusing syringe as early as July 2017, when 12 people were found to be HIV positive, according to officials and an official health department memo, but no action was taken. Later that year in November, 13 more from the area were found infected. And in a camp organised in January this year, 38 more tested positive for the infection. (Sanchit Khanna / HT Photo)

Updated on Feb 10, 2018 12:08 PM

Top health department officials in Unnao were told about a quack transmitting HIV by reusing syringe as early as July 2017, when 12 people were found to be HIV positive, according to officials and an official health department memo, but no action was taken. Later that year in November, 13 more from the area were found infected. And in a camp organised in January this year, 38 more tested positive for the infection. (Sanchit Khanna / HT Photo)

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The infections have put a spotlight on the poor healthcare services in the area. Apart from the CHC, residents here could avail treatment from local doctors such as Pramod Rastogi, seen here in his clinic in Bangarmau. Those unable to afford even that are forced to seek cheap medicines from quacks like Yadav –many of whom have since shut shop fearing police raids. (Sanchit Khanna / HT Photo)

Updated on Feb 10, 2018 12:08 PM

The infections have put a spotlight on the poor healthcare services in the area. Apart from the CHC, residents here could avail treatment from local doctors such as Pramod Rastogi, seen here in his clinic in Bangarmau. Those unable to afford even that are forced to seek cheap medicines from quacks like Yadav –many of whom have since shut shop fearing police raids. (Sanchit Khanna / HT Photo)

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It remains unclear how many patients Yadav treated. Other than the 58 cases, five more people have been declared HIV reactive, which means they might develop the infection later, according to data from the district magistrate’s office. (Sanchit Khanna / HT Photo)

Updated on Feb 10, 2018 12:08 PM

It remains unclear how many patients Yadav treated. Other than the 58 cases, five more people have been declared HIV reactive, which means they might develop the infection later, according to data from the district magistrate’s office. (Sanchit Khanna / HT Photo)

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