NHRC for report on ''forced sex'' with HIV+ women in PGI

New Delhi, Jan 1 (UNI) The NHRC today asked the Union Health Secretary and the Chandigarh-based PGIMER Director to submit within four weeks a factual report about a ''distressing'' media report suggesting that HIV positive women were being forced to have sex at the hospital.

Taking suo-motu cognizance, NHRC chairperson Justice S Rajendra Babu noted that the contents of the media report, if true, raise serious issue of human rights violation of women patients.

The report inter-alia alleged that the HIV positive women, who had gone to the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, for medical treatment, were forced to have sex with counsellors and technician of the hospital.

It said these women patients, from city slums, were offered ''hasty'' treatment in exchange of ''sexual gratification''.

The report further alleged that one of the patients, identified as Sharmila of Mauli Jagran Colony, had gone to PGI's VCTC centre and was asked by a technician, James, to arrange young women for similar (sexual) gratification.

The NHRC chairperson directed for forwarding the copies of the media report to the Union Health Secretary and the PGIMER Director for factual report within four weeks.

UNI AG AKJ GC1631