HIV related precautions. Of the doctor?

That’s a very thoughtful question — and it’s understandable to feel it’s unfair that patients must be tested while doctors are not. (Though most corporate hospitals now have routine yearly checkups for doctors too) But this isn’t about unequal rules — it’s about how safety is ensured differently for patients and healthcare workers. Patients are tested before surgery mainly so the medical team can take specific precautions (for example, avoiding sharp exposure, proper disposal, post-exposure prophylaxis if needed) and to plan post-operative infection control so that the next patient doesn’t get infected. For doctors, the system works the other way — every surgeon and nurse is trained and legally required to follow “universal precautions”, meaning they must treat every single patient as potentially infectious, regardless of test results. Because these precautions (sterile gloves, masks, instruments, safe disposal, double gloving, etc.) are followed with every surgery, the patient’s safety does not depend on knowing the doctor’s HIV status. Also, under the HIV & AIDS (Prevention and Control) Act, 2017, a person’s HIV status — including that of doctors — is strictly confidential by law. Disclosure is only allowed if it directly affects patient safety, which in modern surgical practice, it does not.

Instead of focusing on who is tested, the healthcare system focuses on making transmission impossible — by ensuring sterile instruments, disposable needles, double-glove technique, and strict infection-control practices. Regardless lapses can occur and extra caution/testing is always required to make sure nothing is a miss. These universal safeguards make modern surgery safe for both patient and doctor, regardless of anyone’s HIV status.