Raipur
The Chhattisgarh High Court on Friday expressed strong displeasure over a grave breach of patient confidentiality at Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar Memorial Hospital, Raipur, after taking suo motu cognisance of a media report that a poster disclosing a newborn’s mother was HIV positive had been displayed near the baby.
A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Ramesh Sinha and Justice Amitendra Kishore Prasad termed the incident “inhuman, insensitive, and deplorable,” calling it a gross violation of the right to privacy and dignity guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution.
According to the report, the poster was affixed between the nursery ward—where the newborn was kept—and the gynaecology ward, where the mother was admitted. The court noted that the baby’s father broke down after discovering the public display of such sensitive medical information.
“The act not only breaches confidentiality but also exposes the mother and child to social stigma and potential lifelong discrimination,” the Bench observed, adding that a premier medical institution is expected to act with the highest level of sensitivity, particularly in cases involving communicable or socially delicate conditions.
The High Court directed Chief Secretary Vikas Sheel (IAS) to file a personal affidavit by October 15, detailing the mechanisms in place to ensure patient confidentiality across all state-run health facilities, including government hospitals, medical colleges, Community Health Centres (CHCs), and Primary Health Centres (PHCs).
The affidavit must also outline measures undertaken to sensitise doctors, nurses, and paramedical staff about their legal and ethical obligations to prevent such incidents in the future. The court ordered that a copy of its directive be sent to the Chief Secretary immediately to ensure prompt action and compliance.
