Connect with us

Health

How Impatient Doctor Infected Me With HIV At Age 11

Published

on

By

In an exclusive with The Nation, Asuquo stated it all began in 1999 when she was in secondary school facing disciplinary action at school. As the teacher’s punishment ensued, Asuquo’s collapse to the ground alluded to the need to be taken to a local general hospital and told by the doctor that she needed an immediate blood transfusion, the seriousness of the situation became increasingly obvious.…CONTINUE READING

The unavailability of both her parents during the emergency situation demanded the doctor to act swiftly and so, a blood was retrieved from the bank and transfused to Asuquo, little did she know this was the beginning of her unforeseen reality.
Following the whole exercise, recovery was not as smooth as anticipated. Weeks after leaving the hospital, Asuquo discovered a disconcerting reality: moments of temporary blindness upon rising from a seated position. The return to the hospital prompted a battery of tests leading to a diagnosis that shook the foundations of their world — she was HIV positive.

“To trace how I got the disease, the specialist hospital started testing my family members. But my father, my mother and my younger ones, every one of them was negative. In the process, they traced it to the hospital where I had undergone a blood transfusion.

“When the doctor who did it was asked why he gave me infected blood, he said I was in a critical condition when I was brought in and the only thing he could do was to save my life first with blood transfusion.

“He said since blood was available in the blood bank, he believed it had been screened and that was why he picked blood from there and did the transfusion. That was the explanation he gave. But I didn’t know what was going on then. All I knew was that they packed a lot of drugs for me to be taking regularly.”

Advertisement

The revelation remained concealed until one night when a father’s cryptic questions revealed the truth. The impact was seismic—HIV positive, unbeknownst to the one living with the condition. The weight of this realization triggered a torrent of emotions, questions, and a resolve to tell the world the story of government negligence.
“One night, my dad woke me up at night and asked me that if a friend of mine is HIV positive what would I do? I replied immediately, ‘Back to sender. That will never be my portion’.

“I never knew that the question was directed at me. All that flashed through my head at that moment were the gory pictures of the affected people in skeletons dying. So I rebuked it..

“That was when my mom began to wonder why my dad would wake me up at that period of the night, so she began to ask questions to find out what was going on.

“Two or three nights later, my dad woke me up again and asked me whether I remembered the question he asked me the last time, and I said yes. He then asked me the same question again.

Advertisement

“I told him I’d answered his question and that I didn’t understand why he was asking me the same question again. He then said you are the one: you are HIV positive.

“It was like my whole world crashed before my eyes, dawning on me that I was infected all these while and I never knew.

I was inconsolable, I was asking questions: where is the doctor that did this to me? Have they prosecuted him?

“I told my parents that they should take me to him and inject him with my blood as well. I was just asking a lot of questions but I was not getting the right answer.

Advertisement

“So at that point, I made up my mind to just go and die because the environment around me became choking.
“I became more frustrated when I learnt what transpired when my dad went to the church where we worshipped then. Being a senior elder of the church, he had to disclose my situation to the Reverend.

“I learnt that the Reverend told my dad that since he has five children, he should separate me from the rest of the family in order not to infect them.

“It was a trying period for my tender age then, and it got worse when I realised that my father had to spend and borrow a lot of money to get my medication.

In her remarks, she said, “God has a reason for my case. I’ve come to believe that, and that is why I resolved to speak for the voiceless PLWHA”

Advertisement
Advertisement
Latest News10 seconds ago

“He Married My Former Student As His Second Wife” – Woman Reacts As Husband Takes New Wife After 20 Years

Politics10 seconds ago

FCT Demolitions: Tinubu Erred In Appointing Wike Minister – APC Chieftain

Politics5 mins ago

‘Let The Poor Breath’ – Netizens React As RMD Shares Jaw Dropping Photos

Latest News7 mins ago

BREAKING: Unilorin Gets 48 New Professors

Sports8 mins ago

Arsenal-Liverpool Clash Headlines 3rd-round FA Cup Draw

Politics9 mins ago

“How I taught my cheating girlfriend a lesson” – Man opens up on his strategies; it stuns many

Politics10 mins ago

Alleged Certificate Forgery: You’re chasing shadow, NNPP tells Kano APC

Politics11 mins ago

Mike Murdock Scandal: Illness And Health 2023

Politics11 mins ago

Tinubu’s supporters commence preparations for 2027 elections, initiates talks with northern leaders

Politics12 mins ago

Supreme Court Verdict Looms Over 2019 Imo Guber Case

Politics12 mins ago

Gumsu Abacha: Biography, Age, Husband, Education, Net Worth and Controversy

Politics15 mins ago

Alleged Certificate Forgery: You’re Chasing Shadow, NNPP Tells Kano APC

Politics17 mins ago

Court To Rule On Alleged Certificate Forgery

Health1 hour ago

Researchers Discovers New Drug That Stops HIV From From Infecting The Body

Health1 hour ago

Why Do Women Avoid Sex As They Get Older?

Health1 hour ago

5 Surprising Benefits of Being an Early Riser

Health1 hour ago

7 Early Warning Signs Of An HIV Infection

Health1 hour ago

Nurse explains simple reason why women sometimes wee when they laugh

Health1 hour ago

World Diabetes Day: Patients Can Eat Eba, Fufu, Amala With Vegetables

Health1 hour ago

Dentists Say Millions of Vaccinated Patients Are Now Losing Their Teeth

Politics11 hours ago

Obaseki’s anointed governorship aspirant, Ighodalo, hires interpreter to address kinsmen

Latest News20 hours ago

BREAKING: Julius Berger Hands Over 2nd Niger Bridge To FG

Latest News5 hours ago

Akinyelure: The Newly Appointed NNPLC Chairman

Politics16 hours ago

BREAKING: Senator Araraume Rejects President Tinubu’s Appointment Of New Board For NNPCL, Insists He Remains Chairman

Entertainment7 hours ago

“You’re acting way more than your age” – Mercy Kenneth triggers reactions over ‘naughty’ movie role -VIDEO

Latest News7 hours ago

A Group Of Judges And Others Petition The CJN Regarding The Dismissal Of An LP Candidate By The Edo Election Tribunal

Latest News5 hours ago

Obaseki’s anointed governorship aspirant, Ighodalo, hires interpreter to address kinsmen

Politics7 hours ago

Brekete Family: “Tinubu Is My Son, He Will Perform Excellently As President Give Him Time”- Trader Tells Ordinary President In Viral Video

Latest News20 hours ago

JUST IN: Rivers Police Officers Arrested For Abducting Man, Demanding N1m Ransom

Latest News6 hours ago

Traders & Pedestrians Raise Alarms Over New Methods Of Robbery In Onitsha

Latest News16 hours ago

Trouble for Biden: Anger Explodes as Arab and Muslim Americans Reject His Reconciliation Moves

Politics21 hours ago

BREAKING: 56 Women Elected As APC Sweeps LG Poll In Ekiti

Politics20 hours ago

BREAKING: Prominent PDP Chieftain Defects To APC In Alimosho With Over 600 Supporters

Latest News20 hours ago

BREAKING: 200 lawyers volunteer to assist Gov. Yusuf win guber case at Supreme Court

Latest News20 hours ago

Rivers: Police Arrest 13 Officers Over Indecent Dressing

Entertainment20 hours ago

BREAKING: Israel DMW’s wife replies after he laid hefty curse on her

Latest News20 hours ago

BREAKING: Let Justice Prevail In Imo State – Stakeholders

Politics20 hours ago

BREAKING: Defending Fuel Subsidy Was A Mistake –Minority Leader

Politics20 hours ago

BREAKING: Eboigbe Announces Governorship Ambition

Latest News21 hours ago

JUST IN: How I Chased Out Shekau, Abu Qaqa, Stop Niger From Becoming Boko Haram HQ – Babangida

Trending