Woman misdiagnosed with HIV seeks justice

A woman who was misdiagnosed with HIV in Kwale and put on ARVs for three months with her one-year-old son is seeking justice after another test by a government agency found that she was negative but the results are being withheld from her.

Officials at the Kenya Medical Laboratory Technicians and Technologists Board (KMLTTB) took blood samples from Ms Esther Mwakazi two weeks ago for the advanced test in Nairobi.

Ms Mwakazi’s husband Fredrick Omondi said the quest for justice is becoming difficult as the board’s officials, who had promised to send them the results, are withholding them, citing differences with the National Aids and STI Control Programme (Nascop), which claims it was not involved when the tests were done.

“KMLTTB contacted me on Tuesday and told me the results were ready. They said Ms Mwakazi is HIV negative but ‘it is not easy’ for them to release the results as Nascop is contesting their release,” he said.

“I do not care what the issues are between KMLTTB and Nascop and all I want are the documented results KMLTTB promised us. We need them to seek justice for Esther and my son,” said a distraught Mr Omondi on Thursday.

Ms Mwakazi said she was disturbed by the board’s reluctance to release the results and was not convinced by the explanations given.

'ADVANCED TEST'

“I was told not to rejoice at the negative test results I got from other facilities until an advanced test was done. I do not understand why KMLTTB is declining to release the results,” she said.

Mr Omondi says an official from the board who wanted to give him the results could have shied away after learning of his intention to share them with the media.

“When I told the official I would share the results with the media since the matter has been in the limelight, he stopped taking my calls,” he said.

An official at the regulatory board who is not allowed to speak to the press confirmed the tests had been concluded and a final report submitted to the director of medical services but it could not be released because of “interested parties who are not pleased we did the tests without involving them”.

Nascop head Martin Sirengo said he had not yet seen the results.

“I haven’t seen the results. I will comment only after I have seen them,” Dr Sirengo said in reply to an SMS sent by this writer.

When Ms Mwakazi story broke, the board’s officials said they would investigate the source of the misdiagnosis, qualifications of the person who tested her and the process used.

Ms Mwakazi was misdiagnosed with HIV in July at Diani Health Centre where she had gone for an ante-natal check-up.