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RCSM allegedly made faulty HIV diagnosis: Legal aid group

The Jakarta Legal Aid Institute (LBH Jakarta) is alleging that Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital (RSCM) allegedly misdiagnosed and mistreated a young woman — and then failed to produce her medical records.

Lina Ismawati was allegedly incorrectly diagnosed with HIV/AIDS by the hospital, according to Marull Tua Raja Gukguk, an attorney with LBH Jakarta.

The 24-year-old sought treatment at the hospital for a urinary tract problem and asked for a doctor at RSCM to remove a catheter placed by a doctor from Cibinong hospital.

A doctor at RSCM then incorrectly said Lina had tested positive for HIV, Marull alleged.

Lina’s husband, Cecep Surya Lesmana, 31, rejected his wife’s diagnosis and had himself tested for HIV.

“I didn’t believe what the doctors said, so I took the HIV test myself and it was negative. After that, I asked my wife to do the test again twice at different hospitals and all were negative” Cecep told the Post.

Cecep said Lina suffered from mild amnesia and a wound to her hip requiring reconstructive surgery after she underwent a procedure to remove the catheter at RCSM.

The hospital then allegedly lost sections of her medical records after the surgery, her husband alleged.

There was no record of Lina’s medical treatment at RCSM between May 10 to 24, 2010, according to Marull, who said that the missing records might contain crucial information to bolster Lina’s accusations.

RSCM has provided Lina’s medical records for the period between May 25 and Aug. 1 — although she was admitted to the hospital on May 10.

A spokesman for RSCM, Nata S. Amban, declined to comment on the allegations this weekend, asking the Post to return to the hospital for more information on weekdays.

Nata said he would examine the hospital’s records to determine if there was more information on
the case.

Lina works a contract teacher for an elementary school in Bogor, West Java; Cecep is an employee of a private company in Jakarta. The couple has relied the city’s Jamkesda health care program to pay for Lina’s treatment.

LBH Jakarta said in a statement that it has recorded 16 cases of alleged poor healthcare, medical
malpractice and bureaucratic red tape at RCSM between 2007 and 2010. (rpt)