St. Petersburg diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) has denied the information that the adoptive parents of an HIV-infected girl who died in an urban children’s hospital refused to treat her because of religious beliefs. On Monday, September 4, said in an interview with radio station “Moscow speaking” the Chairman of Department on interrelations of Church and society of the diocese of Alexander Pelin, after it became known that the foster father of the deceased child was a priest of the diocese of George Sychev.
According to Pelin, Sychev together with his wife made every effort to ensure that the girl could obtain the necessary medical assistance, including abroad. “Even in Germany treated, the doctors consulted. His wife practically spent day and night in the hospital,” he said.
The reason for the death of a child, according to Pelin, could become “extremely difficult form of the disease” and lack “common drugs of HIV.” “If our doctors are unable to do so, why it is necessary to look for someone to blame. The same happen! The doctor gives warranty, how will the process of recovery. Neither doctor nor priest can’t say, how will the process of healing, if the body is sick, worn out. Only a miracle can save sometimes”, he added.
The Pelin said that if the diocese received the appropriate medical or legal conclusion, this fact would be tested, and against the priest would take the necessary measures.
Ten HIV-infected girl died in St. Petersburg on August 27. As explained in the office of the Commissioner for children’s rights in St. Petersburg Svetlana Agapitovoj, the cause of death was that the child’s parents, HIV-dissidents — refused to give him antiretroviral therapy, believing that AIDS is a myth invented by the pharmaceutical companies for profit. The main investigation Department of the Investigative Committee of Russia in St. Petersburg at the beginning of this fact check.