A 42-year-old man has undergone an oral cancer surgery at SevenHills Hospital in Andheri after a top city hospital refused to operate on him because of his HIV status. The businessman came to know of his HIV status after he was detected with oral cancer in February this year.
While doctors say that status of both HIV and cancer makes surgery a challenge because of the patient's high immunocompromised level, activists claim such discrimination is not uncommon. They say it is high time that the HIV/AIDS bill, which has been pending since 2006, is passed to stop discrimination.
According to the doctors treating him at SevenHills Hospital, the patient and his wife first approached a Thane-based hospital where the biopsy confirmed his oral cancer status. "During a routine health check-up, his local doctor had advised him to get lesions in his mouth tested. Biopsy report at this Thane hospital confirmed their worst fears for cancer. He was advised surgery, and for this he had to undergo a battery of tests including that of HIV. That is when he came to know that he was HIV positive," said Dr Nagendra Parvataneni, oral cancer surgeon who operated on him.
After knowing his HIV status, the patient went to other leading hospitals in the city but was refused surgery. "Oral cancer surgery on a HIV patient is very challenging. It is a marathon surgery of 7-8 hours and requires a lot of care. This is one reason for refusal by many hospitals," said the doctor.
He added that once at the hospital, the physician ensured that the viral load is in control. "His wife came to know about his HIV status in the hospital with the help of a counsellor. The couple was counselled and his wife is a great support to him," said Parvataneni.
Before surgery, the patient was sent for radiation first. But according to doctors, it didn't help; so they decided to go on with the surgery. "It took us an hour to remove the tumour but the reconstruction surgery took 5-6 hours. The patient was kept on ventilator for 24 hours. He is doing well and should be discharged in the next few days," said the doctor.
He said that extra care is been taken before and after the surgery as the patient is prone to infection. "Everything in the operation theatre was sterilised twice, instruments used during the surgery were discarded, OT room was fumigated after the operation and several other measures were taken pre and post surgery," said Parvataneni.
Reacting on the incident Eldred Tellis, spokesperson of Mumbai AIDS Forum and director of Sankalp Rehabilitation Trust, said: "The HIV/AIDS bill needs to be passed at the earliest as it will bring private hospitals too in the ambit," said Tellis.
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