2 workers dismissed over expelling AIDS patient from Gharbia hospital

CAIRO - 22 August 2019: Abdel Qader Kilany, deputy health minister in Egypt's Gharbia, announced dismissing two workers in a hospital in the governorate, after they had expelled a patient infected with HIV/Aids earlier in August.

Kilany also ordered deducting the salary of one of the doctors for a single month over involvement in the incident.

The AIDS patient was earlier transported to Tanta Fever Hospital for treatment, amid anger of social media users who circulated photos showing the patient being expelled from the hospital in a humiliating way.

An Egypt Today reporter has accompanied the patient in the ambulance vehicle to ensure required procedures were taken.

The AIDS patient, who earlier admitted abusing drugs in an interview with Egypt Today, asked to be treated from addiction in order to return to his normal life.

In a statement, the Ministry of Health blamed the officials for expelling the patient without taking the medical and legal procedures required for him. The ministry affirmed that those who dealt with the patient in the way shown by the photos spreading on social media must be held accountable.

HIV/AIDS (aka stage 3 HIV) is a condition that may be developed when the HIV virus manages to cause serious damages to the immunity system.

HIV patients can live a normal life span thanks to HIV developed medications.

Patients contracting HIV/AIDS are more subject to be infected with diseases including certain cancers, as it is hard at this point for their immunity system to be repaired. Subsequently, their life expectancy is severely affected.