25 acquire HIV as quack uses infected syringe

KANPUR: Unnao district health officials and police are on the lookout for a 'quack' who allegedly infected over two dozen people with HIV by reusing infected syringe and needle. While 25 of them have tested positive for HIV and are undergoing treatment in Kanpur, pathology reports of the remaining 13 are awaited.
Officials fear the figure could go up as new cases are reported. The fact came to light during health check-up camps organised recently in three localities of Unnao's Bangarmau tehsil by community health centre (CHC) officials with help from an NGO.

"The quack used the syringe on 38 people of whom 25 have contracted the virus in some villages of Bangarmau tehsil in Unnao. While pathology reports of the remaining people is awaited, a team of doctors has been formed to look into case. Villagers have told us that the quack used to charge Rs 10 per shot," Unnao chief medical superintendent (CMO) Dr P K Dohre told TOI on Monday.

Dr Dohre said blood samples of 566 people, including 38 treated by the quack, were taken in January. "While 25 of the 38 tested positive for HIV, reports of the remaining 13 are awaited. The affected persons also include a father-son and a mother-son duo," he said."It's shocking how one person can cause such damage to society. A quack, who has been identified as Rajendra Yadav of Shiv Baksh Kheda of Unnao, used an infected syringe and needle on so many unsuspecting people," the CMO said, adding that an FIR was lodged against the quack on January 31 at Bangarmau Kotwali.

Health officials said all the 25 affected people have been put on anti-retroviral therapy (ART) at the ART centre of Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi Memorial (GSVM) Medical College in Kanpur.

"Threat from quacks has always been overlooked and needs to be urgently addressed. The number of people contracting diseases due to infected syringes has shown an increase," said a senior medical college official.