On Thursday, 33 drug-resistant TB patients forced their way out of the Jose Pearson hospital.

Advertisement

Health officials said a group of about 60 patients being held in isolation intimidated gate guards at the hospital on Wednesday afternoon.

By Thursday, 25 patients with multi-drug-resistant TB, and eight with extreme-drug-resistant TB, managed to push past the guards and run away.

Kupelo said 21 patients had returned over the Easter weekend.

The department believed they were visiting families in the area.

The patients are kept in isolation to prevent the spread of the disease and to ensure that they comply with their medication instructions.

The people they visited would be contacted and interviewed and would have to be screened for the disease, Kupelo said.

Meanwhile, the patients who ran away will be educated about the dangers of running away and coming into contact with others until they are better.

"Even armed security personnel won't assist, we have to change their mindsets," he said. – (Sapa)

Read more:
Security tightened at TB hospitals
Tuberculosis Centre

March 2008
 

Print this article on

Rate this article Poor 1 2 3 4 5 Excellent

JOBS

Operations Manager R20,000-25,000 Per Month Cost To Company Incl Benefits Gauteng - East Rand Financial Accountant: CA(SA) R400,000-500,000 Per Annum Cost To Company Gauteng - Johannesburg Key Account Manager Gauteng Java Developer-CT Western Cape - Cape Town Java Developer-Jozi Gauteng Account Manager R460,000-540,000 Per Annum Cost To Company Plus Benefits Gauteng Account Manager R460,000-540,000 Per Annum Market Related Plus Benefits South Africa Case Manager R210,000-220,000 Per Annum Negotiable Gauteng - Pretoria Find more jobs Register your CV Post a job