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The Democratic Nursing Organisation (Denosa) has condemned the behaviour of XDR- and MDR-TB patients at Port Elizabeth's Jose Pearson TB Hospital.
Denosa was concerned at the violent behaviour of extreme drug-resistant (XDR) and multi drug-resistant (MDR) Tuberculosis patients at the hospital, it said in a statement on Monday.
"On Friday, February 20, 2009 patients in this hospital threw rubbish and threatened to burn down a doctor's office. This comes after parents of two XDR-TB patients in this hospital forcefully withdrew their children from treatment and isolation, and took them to school," Denosa said.
The doctor subsequently obtained an interdict against these parents instructing them to return the patients to the hospital, given the nature of their illness.
Sympathises with patients, families
"Denosa, as the patients' advocate sympathises with MDR- and XDR-TB patients and with their families with regards to their isolation from the community. However, we strongly condemn the violent nature of the patients as it compromises the fight against XDR- and MDR-TB."
This further underlined the significance of educating XDR- and MDR-TB patients about the importance of their isolation during treatment regimen.
Denosa was also concerned about the safety and security of nurses, as there had been violent incidents against them in the recent past. "We therefore call on the department of health to address this issue as a matter of urgency."
"We further call for a supportive health facility that meets the patients' needs regarding their family and social commitments, while balancing this with the treatment protocol that can provide the nutritional, social, socio-economic and medical requirements to reduce the morbidity (illness) and the mortality of MDR- and XDR-TB," Denosa said. – (Sapa)
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February 2009
