AIIMS files status report in Delhi HC, assures treatment to HIV, cancer patient amid lockdown

All Indian Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) here has assured the Delhi High Court that treatment will be administered to an HIV positive woman, who had filed a petition claiming she was denied appropriate medical attention amid coronavirus lockdown.

The woman, who has been living with HIV for the past 20 years and is suffering from oral cancer, had approached Delhi High Court claiming she needed urgent surgery as she is bleeding from the tongue due to cancer, but was denied medical attention due to lockdown.

AIIMS filed a status report on the petition and said that doctors will give necessary treatment to the petitioner as an in-patient and later as an out-patient by giving her definitive chemo-radiation after her tooth extraction is done and once her condition stabilizes.

The court had, while hearing the plea, observed that considering the physical condition of the petitioner as well as her other ailments and if the doctor opines that performance of the surgery would be at high risk to the patient, this Court in the exercise of its jurisdiction would not direct the doctors to take a different view.

Meanwhile, Delhi government also assured that on the petitioner's applying for fresh passes beyond April 14, 2020, if the lockdown continues, full co-operation will be given to the petitioner and her family members by issuing fresh passes for the further lockdown duration so that there is no inconvenience caused to the petitioner or her family members.

According to the status report, the petitioner was admitted to BRA-IRCH, AIIMS on April 4, 2020, and on examination, her diagnosis was confirmed as Carcinoma Tongue with co-morbidities-AIDS and history of pulmonary tuberculosis.

AIIMS, in the status report, said that considering the decreased weight of the petitioner, a nutritional evaluation was done and she was put on a diet plan.

"The surgical team evaluated the petitioner and was of the opinion that in view of the nature of growth, poor general condition and anticipated poor surgical outcomes, the surgical procedure for her disease stage would be a high-risk, major, radical procedure with substantial morbidity and she may not withstand such surgical procedure hence opinion of non-surgical management was sought from Radiotherapy Department on April 6, 2020," the report said.

"Whereafter, the petitioner was evaluated and the Radiotherapy Team recommended definitive chemo-radiation therapy. The risk involved in the surgical oncology, radiotherapy, were duly explained and informed to the petitioner who sought some time to make a decision," it added.

It said that the patient finally agreed to start definitive chemo-radiation, following which the said decision was taken.