More than 3,000 who had colonoscopies at VA hospital told to get HIV tests
MIAMI - Officials say more than 3,000 patients at a Veterans Affairs hospital in Miami had colonoscopies with equipment that wasn’t properly sterilized
They’ve been told they should be tested for HIV and other diseases.
The VA insists the risk of infection is minimal and only involved tubing on equipment, not any device that actually touched a patient. But it’s the second recent announcement of errors during colonoscopies at VA facilities.
Last month, more than 6,000 patients at a clinic in Tennessee were told they may have been exposed to infectious body fluids during colonoscopies.
The VA also said 1,800 veterans treated at an ear, nose and throat clinic in Augusta, Ga., were alerted they could have been exposed to an infection due to improper disinfection of an instrument.
SOURCE:
Unsterile equipment used on Miami veterans
This is nothing less than a travesty. Our veterans have given this nation everything they have, their health, their sanity, their arms, legs, eyes, they have given us everything they have to give, they answered the call. This is how WE take care of THEM?
We had documented cases of veteran neglect during the Bush administration, and we were led to believe that those problems were being fully addressed and dealt with. I have been hammering on this for a long time now, this was one of the stories I posted, Gov’t Struggles to Cope With Wounded GIs. The government has a responsibility to COPE with these warriors, these guys have earned the very best of care and nothing less, but what do they get? VA links poor care to 19 deaths at Ill. hospital.
About a year ago I went off on this tale of woe:
Maybe it wasn’t a deliberate attempt, maybe it’s all been just a terrible coincidence, maybe some of the deplorable conditions at some VA hospitals, conditions that have been documented, maybe that was just administrative oversight, the VA has their mission definition, and the utmost care of our Vets is their #1 priority, right?? VA lying about number of veteran suicides
Some folks think the V.A. has kept things secret, and I have to wonder, just what exactly are they not telling, and why, all of a sudden, is this unsterile equipment and threats of exposure to infected bodily fluids something our veterans have to suddenly worry about?
Recently this was proposed: Obama to Bill Combat Wounded for Medical Care. Now if that is not the pinnacle of audacity, I don’t know what is. Supposedly Obama got the message and this moonbat idea was filed away, for presentation at a later date no doubt!
I know that this nation is in a really bad place when it comes to money and having any to spend, the Wall Street guys, the car companies and not to forget, AIG, must ALL be saved, but the health and well-being of our veterans can’t be one of the items on the chopping block used to render up a few extra dollars to bail out crooked or inept businessmen. In many instances, our veterans, these fantastic men and women that have given this nation SO much, have nowhere else to turn other than the V.A., they need to know that the V.A. will be there FOR them, to HELP them, not to KILL them!
