The Treatment Action Campaign is considering taking our president to court to force him to "relase" Manto from her position. They want him to explain publicly why he is keeping her in office. The letter was delivered on Sept. 1st and they have not specified when the "reasonable" deadline is. The letter outlines "the problems in the healthcare system and express the degree of responsibility for these problems due to the minister of health".
Should prove fascinating!
I am not greatly optimistic on their chances of getting Mbeki to court or being able to prove why he should have Dr. Beetroot fired, and surely they cannot afford to get caught up in expensive legal procedures for long. But I am supporting their efforts & determination to uphold the rights of people who are currently HIV+ or people who will be infected in the future.
The article also speaks about the countrywide backlog in the government’s anti-retroviral rollout... 160 000 people nationwide are receiving treatment, but 450 000 more people need the drugs urgently.
Also, very interesting, "The pepper spray used by the police to evict Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) protesters from a correctional services building in Cape Town last week could have been dangerous, even deadly, for those activists whose immune systems have been compromised."
“I can understand why they would do this if they were defending themselves from violent or dangerous criminals but, as I’ve explained, we were protesting in a non-violent manner according to TAC’s principles.”
Continent braces for deadly new TB strain
This always fascinates people, that you can have TB present in your system, but it will not necessarily ever become 'active'. Yes, that can mean you dear Blog Reader.
"When someone is HIV-negative and that person gets infected with TB or MDR-TB (multiple-drug resistant TB) or XDR-TB (extreme drug-resistant TB) , there is only about a 10% lifetime risk of that infection turning into active disease, so it is a small risk...But when the immune system gets under pressure, like what happens with HIV-positive individuals, then that 10% lifetime risk is compounded to a 10% annual risk."
The source of a KwaZulu outbreak of XDR-TB -"the Tugela Ferry outbreak, was probably an MDR-TB patient who didn't complete his treatment and, as a result, then developed XDR TB and spread this to HIV-positive patients." 52 of the 53 people to contract TB in this area died as a result.
"Normal strains of TB can be treated at a cost of R400 per person, but MDR variants can cost up to R100 000."
SA women among Aids asylum seekers in Canada
Not much to say about this yet, as the newspapers don't seem to know too much about this situation either just yet.
8 comments:
I would be delighted if TAC actually suceeded in removing Dr. Beetroot. This is a democracy - why can't we have a referendum on whether or not she should stay?
Somehow I doubt that the police considered who they were pepper spraying. And that's part of the problem - no one thinks further than themselves, especially someone like Dr. Beetroot.
Here Here Jam!!
The referendum might be considered too expensive, plus we have a lack of voter commitment at the moment which doesn't help us. We'll just have to wait and see. Luckily we know that the TAC is commited to this that they will use all avenues open to them.
My campaign poster: "GIVE DR BEETROOT THE BOOT!"
Root Out! Beat Out! The Beetroot!
There's an activist in all of us.
And who would you, or the TAC for that matter, suggest should be her replacement?
I quite like the Gauteng MEC of Health. Brian Hlongwa. He seem to be doing an excellent job around our region. Especially with meeting the desperate need for improved state hospitals and the creation of clinics in areas lacking.
HA! And you thought I might be clueless as to the inner workings of the DoH!
Hahaha, no I think I would have been disapointed if you didn't have a good answer.
At least now I know there is somebody decent in the wings BUT is there any chance he would be appointed?
Ah, see, I know the DoH's inner workings, not the ANC's inner obstacle course!
He has been getting alot of good publicity as of late.
A couple of people in my line of work might have a better clue, but they are out of shouting range, so I'll have to question them another time.
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