Nadiia was beaten and robbed near her home. The attackers took her purse with money and documents in it, including her domestic passport, pensioner card, and her ID document that verifies her group 2 disability status.
The client immediately contacted the police for help, they took her statement but didn’t offer to provide any first aid. The woman was in serious condition. Nadiia sustained nose and head injuries due to the beating.
After filing a police report, Nadiia decided to head for the emergency room of the city hospital on her own. While being examined by the doctor on duty, the woman disclosed her HIV status. Following this, the doctor immediately discontinued the examination process and told Nadiia in a condescending tone that she should have taken steps to stop the bleeding by herself and only then go to the hospital, because due to this exposure, all of this facility’s healthcare workers might be at risk for contracting HIV.
The woman had to spend a long time in the admissions area of the emergency room, but no healthcare worker stepped forward to give her medical attention and stop the bleeding. Later on, she decided to leave the hospital and return home.
Back at home, Nadiia’s condition took a turn for the worse and she called the REActor for advice on what to do in this situation, as she was no longer able to move around on her own. The REActor immediately called an ambulance to the client’s address and helped with the hospitalization process.
Once the necessary medical care was received, the REActor provided Nadiia with initial legal advice and explained the steps to follow if similar situations occur in the future. The client refused to have the situation further investigated or have the doctor on duty held to account for failing to provide adequate medical care.