GOBE! WOMAN DIAGNOSED WRONGLY WITH HIV

Woman Who Was Wrongly Diagnosed With HIV Sues Hospital 15 Years Later

A Thai woman who was wrongly diagnosed with HIV since childhood has sued the hospital 15 years after the sad incident.

A woman who was wrongly diagnosed as HIV-positive as a child is now suing the Thai Ministry of Public Health for allgedly ruining her childhood.

The woman identified as Suthida Saengsumat, from the Roi-et province in Thailand, claims she was rejected by fellow school pupils because of her supposed condition.

She said: ‘I cried alone every night at home. No money could repay what I lost and I would like to tell the doctor.’

Suthida had to take anti-retroviral drugs every day since her diagnosis at eight-years-old, but stopped five years ago when she was first pregnant.

Following blood tests from other hospitals at the time and from this year, Suthida was told she doesn’t actually have HIV at all and that neither her husband and children are infected with it.

Preeyanant Lorsermwattana, chairwoman of a network of people affected by medical negligence, said the network had received several complaints from people who suffered similar misdiagnoses.

A nurse from Phuket was also wrongly diagnosed as HIV-positive and managed to win a case against the doctor responsible for the blood test.

Because of the wrong diagnosis, the nurse had to take anti-viral drugs for four years and lost an opportunity to work abroad.

The name of the hospital and doctor involved in Ms Saengsumat’s case has not been disclosed.