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News/Event Item
The Dilemma of a Deadly Disease: Patients May Be Forcibly Detained
Jan 23, 2007
by Chris McGreal and Sarah Boseley
South Africa is considering forcibly detaining people who carry a deadly strain of tuberculosis that has already claimed hundreds of lives. The strain threatens to cause a global pandemic, but the planned move pits public protection against human rights.
The country's health department says it has discussed with the World Health Organisation and South Africa's leading medical organisations the possibility of placing carriers of extreme drug resistant TB or XDR-TB under guard in isolation wards until they die, but has yet to reach a decision.
Pressure to take action has been growing since a woman diagnosed with the disease discharged herself from a hospital last September and probably spread the infection before she was finally coaxed back when she was threatened with a court order.
Copyright he Guardian
For the Full Article, visit
http://www.guardian.co.uk/frontpage/story/0,,1996612,00.html
category: News from Other Sources : General Health News
contributed by Olga Zhuykova on 25 January 2007
Africa :
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