| Unsafe injections ‘cased 1.3m death | Send to a friend |
| Tuesday, 09 November 2010 09:28 |
 By Rosemary Mirondo,The Citizen CorrespondentDar es Salaam. Re-use of syringes has been established as one of major agents of diseases spread including HIV and hepatitis transmission, causing millions of deaths in developing countries. A podiatrist from Canada, Dr Clare Beale, who is also a SafePoint Trust campaign ambassador, made the observation when briefing journalists in Dar es Salaam yesterday. She said, according to World Health Organization (WHO) report, every year a total of 23,000 HIV infections, a million hepatitis C infections and 21million hepatitis B infections are caused by unsafe injections which result to 1.3 million deaths. Dr Beale said the problem was so severe that WHO reported 50 per cent of all injections given globally as unsafe. “It is sad to learn that in Africa alone, 20 million medical injections contaminated with blood from patients with HIV are administered every year,” she said. However, she pointed out that SafePoint was actively lobbying for changes in legislation to ensure that auto disable (AD) syringes that can only be used once, are the only type permitted for use in hospitals, medical centres and surgeries. Adding that Tanzania was at the forefront of safe healthcare in Africa and will soon be the second country to convert over to AD syringes in the East, Central and Southern Africa Health Services (ECSA) member countries. Every person across the world has the right to ask for and receive a sterile and safe injection. Dr Beale noted that currently SafePoints support team was in Tanzania to climbing Mt Kilimanjaro with the aim of reaching the summit in order to raise funds as a substantial donation to AD syringes that are fully compliant with Tanzania Food and Drug Authority (TFDA) Add this page to your favorite Social Bookmarking websites           |
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