Forty Nine patients with incurable, highly infectious and drug-resistant tuberculosis have escaped from Jose Pearson hospital near Port Elizabeth this week. So far twenty six have returned to the wards. Police are now primed to join door-to-door searches for the rest.The patients, some of whom have been in hospital for 18 months, were said to want to spend Christmas with family.
Correspondents say South Africa is battling the spread of virulent forms of TB which are especially dangerous for those infected with HIV, the virus which can lead to Aids.Its estimated that 5.4 million people in South Africa are living with HIV. Just 400 people have been officially diagnosed with extremely drug-resistant TB, or XDR-TB, the Associated Press reports.But the true figure is guessed to be much higher because many people die before being diagnosed.
Several provinces in South Africa have been forced to take legal action to force drug-resistant TB patients to stay in hospital, AP adds. It is hard on everyone especially the people who are forced to stay in a hospital without any family.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/7152855.stm
No comments:
Post a Comment