Over 1800 veterans may have been infected with HIV at the John Cochran VA Medical Center in St. Louis, MO. The hospital sent letters to 1812 veterans to warn that receiving dental work at the VA center in the past may have exposed them to hepatitis B, hepatitis C and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
According to the hospital, the patients were put at risk after being operated on with dental instruments that were not properly cleaned. The association chief of staff at the VA hospital, Dr. Gina Michael, told the press that tools were hand-washed by some dental technicians, prior to being placed in the cleaning machines. This breach of protocol took place from February 2009 until March 2010.
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To remedy the issue, the hospital has put a clinic and education centers into place, in order to help those who may have been exposed. Though this is a step, Representative Russ Carnaham (D-MO)feels that that is not enough.
Representative Carnaham told the press Tuesday that he sent a letter to President Obama regarding the matter, and is in the process of investigating the issue further. He feels that more should be done to help the affected veterans, and wants to take disciplinary action against the members of the hospital staff that are responsible.
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It’s upsetting to think that after serving their country, these veterans are having to fear being infected with HIV after receiving routine dental work. Something simple, like a root canal could force some of these vets to have to take the HIV cocktail for the rest of his/her life.
