By Manoj Kar
Kendrapara(Odisha), July 3: In a bizarre incident, life of a 22-year-old expectant woman from a remote village of this district has taken a turn towards the worse after an erroneous medical report found her carrying HIV/AIDS virus.

The victim Sabita (name changed), native of Kankada village under Patkura police limits, is in advanced stage of pregnancy and is expecting a child in a couple of months.

Wrongful diagnostic report has brought in trails of misery for the hapless woman. Her husband and in-laws have disowned her. Abandoned by near and dear ones, she has now shifted to parental house in Kankada village.

“Misery of the woman has moved us. It is really shocking that a healthy and disease-free woman was pronounced HIV carrier. Our panchayat is trying to settle the matter and unite the family,” said Gopal Das, Sarpanch of Baantala gram panchayat.

The doctors of a government-run hospital in Uttarkula advised her to undergo series of pathological test including that of blood sample.

As the government hospital was not equipped enough for the test, she opted for the pathological test in a private diagnostic laboratory.

The surgeons in the Uttarkula government hospital cast doubt on the report as the pregnant lady was quite healthy. They later advised for HIV diagnostic test in better-equipped district headquarters hospital.

The diagnostic test report conclusively stated that the pregnant lady was never infected with HIV virus.

By the time the government hospital report came in, the in-laws had already driven out the ill-fated woman from house.

“We are hopeful that her husband with dignity would take the woman back,” Sarpanch Das felt.

“Our panchayat would take up the case of the victim. We on her behalf would sue and take to task the diagnostic center,” he added.

Stigma and superstitious notions associated with the deadly disease continue to rule the roost notwithstanding the concerted efforts from various quarters.

Stigma haunts all those infected with the disease. The stigmatised carriers are subjected to ignominy. Wearing surgical gloves to perform victim's last rites tell the shocking state of affairs. In most cases, villagers in this part skip cremation and prefer to burry the dead lest the virus from the infected body may spread in the air.

Majority of the ‘condemned' victims here are ostracised. The family members also bear the brunt with neighbours found keeping safe distance. Children have also fallen prey to this disturbing social scenario.

Of the 13 infected children, hardly two have access it to classroom teaching of government schools. For the rest, school doors are literally closed. Reason – show of stiff resistance from parents of school children. Parents fear that their wards would contract the disease by the infected child.