Quack arrested for infecting over 75 with HIV

Unnao Police have arrested the quack allegedly responsible for infecting over 75 people with the HIV virus by using a single syringe on them. After detection of 29 more HIV positive cases, which included six children, the state government directed Anti-Retrovial Test (ART) Centre, Kanpur, to begin treatment of the infected villagers.

The arrested doctor has been identified as Rajesh Yadav. He was arrested from Bangarmau. Dr Pramod Kumar, who had lodged a case against the quack, claimed that Yadav admitted to the police that he used a single syringe on many patients without disinfecting it.

A few years ago, Yadav was an assistant to a doctor in Unnao district. He started running his own clinic after learning about different medicines prescribed by the doctor for diseases in villages. He was charging only Rs 10 for three doses of medicine and an injection to each patient.

People thronged his clinic for any ailment as he would provide three-time medicines with an injection only for Rs 10. He used to treat 100 to 150 patients a day. The makeshift clinic ran from a corridor of a school on Station Road in the district.

Yadav would run around on his cycle to attend seriously ill patients in three villages around Bagarmau. Locals around his clinic revealed that he was often seen washing the syringe with the pump water to use it again on other patients. He had no medical equipment except for a bag, in which he would keep different medicines and syringes.

"People used to make a beeline for his clinic as it worked out cheaper for poor patients who can't afford to buy costly medicines after paying hefty consultation fees of other doctors," said Dr Kumar.

About 29 more people, including six children, from Premganj, Kidmiyapur and Chakmeera villages tested positive in the last 24 hours) after 46 were detected carrying HIV virus earlier. So far, 75 patients have been registered at the ART Centre (Anti-Retrovial Test) at Kanpur for the treatment of HIV injection.