Union worried nurses could get infected by TB patients

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Union worried nurses could get infected by TB patients

2008/03/27

A NURSING trade union has expressed concern about the infection risk

to health workers caring for patients with drug-resistant strains of

tuberculosis.

" Furthermore, their safety is compromised by the tendency of angry and

frustrated patients becoming abusive and violent, " the Democratic

Nursing Organisation of South Africa (Denosa) said in a statement

yesterday.

The statement follows last week's breakout by over 30 quarantined

patients at Port 's Pearson Hospital. According to the

Eastern Cape Health Department, they took off their protective masks

and used their illness to intimidate security and nursing personnel

trying to stop them.

Denosa said it was " highly concerned " about the occupational health,

safety and security of workers who ran a high risk of being infected

with multi- and extreme-drug-resistant TB. But it also said it

sympathised with MDR and XDR-TB patients isolated from their communities.

" We reiterate, however, that both MDR and XDR-TB are highly

contagious...spread through the air when infected individuals cough or

sneeze or (are) even in close contact with families. Therefore, when

treatment is interrupted, there is not only a high risk to their

families but to the community at large if they return home. "

Denosa said it called for a supportive health facility which would

balance patients' family needs and social commitments against the

requirements of effective treatment. — Sapa

http://www.dispatch.co.za/article.aspx?id=186912