MUMBAI, June 24: The controversy dogging the Tata Memorial Hospital (TMH) over its decision to treat a staff doctor suffering from AIDS at the hospital came to a tragic but predictable end on Sunday - the doctor, a surgeon with the Head and Neck Department, died after efforts to contain his multiple uncontrolled infections failed.

Express Newsline on Saturday last had carried a report about this doctor whose illness and the hospital's rather surprising gesture to treat an `ailing colleague' had led to a sharp division in the hospital staff. While one section had called it a risk that was best avoided, the other thought it was the least they could do for a colleague.

Following the doctor's death, the hospital management is reviewing all policies and rules regarding examination and treatment of patients. However, Director Dr Katie Dinshaw said there would be no compulsory HIV tests for the doctors or any other employee.

Close to 200 doctors and surgeons serve the hospital. ``Doctors are welcome to voluntarily come forward to undergo the test. No work place can make HIV tests mandatory,'' she told Express Newsline on Tuesday.

The hospital, however, is likely to implement a stronger educative policy regarding AIDS among its 1,800-strong staff. Besides the 200 full-time doctors, there are 250 nurses in the hospital who attend to a large number of patients daily. ``The hospital has a policy of not discriminating against any patient,'' stressed Dr Dinshaw.

As a result doctors come in contact with AIDS affected persons daily. ``The stress now will be on general protection of doctors at the hospital,'' Dr Dinshaw said.Dr Shashtri, head of the Preventive Oncology Department of the hospital, added that there was no legality to a HIV test.

``Moreover, the commonly done Elisa test has a high degree of sensitivity but not a high degree of specificity, thereby giving rise to a possibility of wrong results,'' he said.Doctors and nurses in government hospitals as well as private hospitals in Mumbai run the risk of contracting AIDS from infected patients.

A city-based organisation is treating around eight such cases, which include interns, resident doctors and senior doctors. Meanwhile, at TMH few resident doctors are keen on undergoing a HIV test. Dr Unmesh Mohite, a resident said it would have to be a collective decision of the 40 odd residents at the hospital.

``It is not at TMH alone that doctors are at risk of contracting the deadly disease,'' he said.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.