Unnao HIV case: Quack arrested

Rajesh Yadav allegedly infected 33 people with HIV

THE POLICE on Wednesday arrested the quack, who allegedly infected 33 people in Unnao with HIV over the last 10 months, using the same syringe to administer injections. Unnao SP Unnao Pushpanjali Devi said that Rajesh Yadav (35) was arrested from near his house in Shivbakshkhera village of the district. He will be produced before court on Thursday. On January 31, Yadav was booked under IPC sections 308 (attempt to commit culpable homicide), 269 (negligence likely to spread disease) and under Indian Medical Council Act, on a complaint filed Dr Pramod Kumar Dohrey, medical superintendent, Bangarmau Community Health Centre. The case was lodged at Bangarmau police station.

The 33 HIV positive cases were identified in three health camps held last month at Premganj, Chakmirpur and Kirwidiyapur villages in Bangarmau area. For at least a year, Yadav had visited three Unnao villages with the promise of “magic treatment” — an injection and teen puriya (three packets) — for just Rs 10. He administered it to at least 50 people a day but with the same syringe, washing it with water before injecting the next patient. A teams of the National Aids Control Organisation and the UP AIDS Control Society Wednesday visited affected villages, the district hospital and CMO Dr S P Chaudhary’s office.

When contacted, Dr Preety Pathak, state epidemiologist with UPSACS, who was part of the team, said: “It was a routine visit. Unnao is one of the 20 high migration districts, where we conduct health camps, especially during Diwali and Holi, when labourers return home.” She added that such cases were first reported during one camp held last year. “Later, more camps were conducted in January… The focus now will be to increase awareness in the region as well as in neighbouring Kanpur Dehat — another high-migration district,” she added.

Unnao District Magistrate Ravi Kumar NG said: “The whole issue needs a detailed study, as it goes much deeper… This is why teams from NACO and from UPSACS spent the entire day here. They have told us that they would return and recommended more health camps to understand it further.”
“The urgent need, as recommended by the teams, is to make people aware of the problem with the help of NGOs. Further steps will be taken based on the report filed by team,” he added.