New Delhi, 29 September 2022: The Delhi Commission For Women (DCW) has advised hospitals to test sexual assault survivors for HIV on their initial visit.
The recommendations were made when the commission discovered that certain hospitals did not screen all survivors of sexual assault for HIV.
The Delhi government’s health department received a notice from the DCW requesting information about the number of cases in which HIV tests were performed on both the accused and the survivors, as well as the steps and standard operating procedures (SOPs) being followed to prevent HIV transmission in survivors. The panel noted that certain institutions were not suggesting HIV tests to all survivors of sexual assault based on the data it had received.
The Delhi Commission for Women wrote to the Special commissioner of police crime, Delhi, Ravindra Singh Yadav and to the Secretary, department of health and welfare family, Delhi, Amit Singla.
They believed that “the survivors of sexual assault aside from extreme trauma and injuries are also at an increased risk of contracting STD such as HIV which can be passed via sexual contact with them, infected person. The Delhi Commission for women observed that the HIV testing of rape survivors, primary women, children, and transgenders is not being conducted in every case,” stated the letter to Singla.
It stated, “It has been observed that several hospitals are not recommending HIV tests to all the survivors of sexual assault. Further, it was observed that most hospitals have stated that Delhi police does not inform them about the HIV status of the accused.”
Simultaneously, the Commission wrote to Ravindra Singh Yadav, “It has been observed that several hospitals are not recommending HIV tests to all the survivors of sexual assault. Further, it was observed that most hospitals have stated that the Delhi police does not inform them about the HIV status of the accused. That said hospitals in New Delhi have stated that all the accused rapists are tested and if they are found to be HIV positive, the same is informed to the hospitals. It has been brought to the notice of the commission that the standing order of the Delhi police instructs all investigating and supervisory officers to ensure that the medical examination of the accused includes an examination of any STD/STI with which the accused might be suffering so that preventive treatment can be provided to the victim at the earliest.”
They also recommended that this standing order is to be followed properly by the Delhi police officials to ensure that the survivor is provided treatment against possible infections at the earliest. “The commission has recommended that all hospitals should mandatorily ensure HIV testing of sexual assault survivors, at the first visit as well as at follow up visits at three and six months,” the panel added.
