A woman living with HIV contacted the documenter with a complaint about a doctor at a women’s consultation clinic. She explained that she had visited the clinic at her place of residence due to a women’s health issue.
During the consultation, the client also informed the doctor about her HIV status. After that, the doctor asked why the woman had not gone to a specialized center and stated that they do not examine patients with such a diagnosis. The client did not know how to respond and left the office without receiving medical assistance.
The client was provided with legal consultation and psychological support. The documenter suggested that she file a complaint with the head of the women’s consultation clinic regarding the doctor’s actions. The woman agreed, and at the arranged time the client and the documenter visited the head of the clinic.
During the meeting, the documenter informed the head of the clinic about the violation of the woman’s right to receive medical care by the doctor at the women’s consultation clinic, as all types of medical care for people living with HIV must be provided by healthcare institutions on an equal basis. It was emphasized that the doctor’s actions were unlawful and discriminatory.
The head of the women’s consultation clinic apologized for the doctor’s actions and personally accompanied the client to an examination with a gynecologist. She also stated that explanatory work would be conducted with the staff to prevent cases of discrimination and violations of the rights of people living with HIV.