Veterans at risk of contracting HIV after sterilisation blunder
Hundreds of veterans in the St Louis area have been contacted after it was revealed that dental equipment at a local facility was not sterilised properly.
More than 1,800 patients who attended the St Louis VA Medical Center at the John Cochran Division between February 2008 and March 2010 have now received letters outlining the situation and inviting them to attend free testing for disease such as HIV and hepatitis.
The alarm was sounded after an unannounced visit found that the sterilisation process was not being followed properly and a key cleaning step was being missed out; consequently dental instruments and equipment were not being fully sterilised after being used on patients.
Officials in Washington have vowed to conduct a full investigation into the sterilisation process at the St Louis VA Medical Center; subsequent disciplinary action will be taken. At the moment, officials are concentrating on the health of the patients who could potentially be affected by the blunder and are urging those who have been treated at the clinic to come forward for blood tests.
Representatives from the congress have criticised staff at the centre and said the incident was unacceptable. Congressman Russ Carnahan said that it was outrageous that people who have served the American nation have been treated so poorly and now face health risks associated with poor sterilisation procedures. Mr Carnahan said there would now be a full scale investigation.
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Recently, I came across a report of an investigation by the VA Inspector General regarding the delay of cancer treatment for a patient at Zablocki VAMC.
SEE : http://www4.va.gov/oig/54/reports/VAOIG-09-01348-49.pdf
It appears that gross medical malpractice was performed by 2 radiologists, a radiation oncologist, a surgeon , and an internal medicine doctor, all of whom are faculty at Medical College of Wisconsin. You might say a comedy of medical errors.
Also, why does the Inspector General have to be called to investigate, could several of these docs been involved in a coverup? Veterans sacrifice their lives at the war front and to get this type of care at home is immoral.