Rights panel directs probe

By Our Staff Reporter

Guwahati, May 12: The Assam Human Rights Commission has directed a high-level inquiry into the incident of a three-year-old testing HIV positive after blood transfusion at the Gauhati Medical College & Hospital. A division bench of the commission comprising chairperson Dr. Justice AH Saikia and member T. Phookan took suo motu cognizance of the news published in various newspapers and noted “with surprise” the allegation that Dr. Sima Rekha Devi advised the parents of the boy not to divulge the fact that their child was found to be infected by the virus.

“What is more astonishing is that the doctor reportedly refrained from disclosing the fact to the hospital authority,” the bench observed.

The commission directed the State Chief Secretary to cause an effective enquiry through a high level inquiry committee into the circumstances that led to the incident in order “to fix responsibility on the doctor(s) and the nurse(s) and/or other(s) concerned in this respect and to submit the report thereof before this commission within thirty days of receipt of the notice”.