Shock treatment

Young woman married to a not so young man ,getting pregnant and then getting tested for HIV during the course of the pregancy is a common scenario in the clinic .Women who test positive for HIV are referred to our prevention of mother to child tranmission programme .They do regularly and sincerely follow the obstetrician's instructions and deliver healthy HIV negative babies .

What is intriguing is the fact that the husbands who usually accompany these women (and are infected too ) never bother about their medical care .They play the role of a sincere hubby rather very effectively but when you ask them to see the doctor ,it is always next time .There is not much of a problem until serious illnesses intervene .We had a handful ,who ,when the wife was progressing through the pregnancy progressed to very serious illnesses and death .

Then there was this woman ,whose husband was refusing to get any treatment inspite of our repeated counsel .Though we offered all help ,he stubbornly refused to take the necessary tests .We patiently waited for a few weeks and then decided it was time to do something .


One fine morning he walked in with his wife ,with the same old story of next time ."Well then ,"I said ,"you seemed to be decided against taking any treatment .In that case ,your health might deteriorate at any point of time .This will affect your wife and the baby who are entirely dependent on you . Who is going to take care of them after you ? I will wait for just one more week ...if you do not report to the hospital for treatment by then ,I will get your wife remarried to more suitable man who can take of her and himself."

Surely enough, the husband has come in for treatment .


Poongulali