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Response stories

Discrimination in hospital due to HIV status

In early November, Oksana got a fever and had trouble breathing. After a week of this condition, she decided to take a test for COVID-19, but the result was negative. The girl lay in this state at home for a week. Despite taking a bunch of drugs, her condition became worse and worse.

An ambulance was called and the client was taken to a local hospital. After a CT scan, the doctor diagnosed her with pleurisy and left her to continue treatment. A few days passed and the doctor found out that Oksana had HIV-positive status.

The man came to the girl’s ward and told her to pack up and go to “her” hospital for treatment, where everyone with HIV status is examined. The client explained that there is no such hospital, so she has nowhere to go.

No arguments and pleas convinced the doctor. With a high temperature, he put Oksana outside the door. The girl called the REAct documentary and she arrived at the hospital. The head of the department was categorical and told the staff of the department to discharge the client from the hospital because she was HIV-positive. Thus revealing her status to all patients of the ward and others.

After that, the documentary of the Project wrote a complaint to the chief physician of this medical institution and called the hotline of the Ministry of Health, leaving an oral complaint about this case. Then Oksana was referred to friendly doctors in another hospital, where the girl arrives to this day.