Dr Pfaff & SA’s Health Officials: How Politics Cost Innocent Lives

[Anacoluthon64]

Doctor in Trouble for His Attempt to Reverse ‘Miserable Lives’ of HIV Babies

[W]hen Dr Colin Pfaff, the chief medical officer of Manguzi Hospital, learnt that “dual therapy” could cut the rate at which HIV positive mothers transmitted the virus to their babies by up to 75%, he was anxious to introduce it.

After a series of postponed promises about the “imminent” introduction of dual therapy in KwaZulu-Natal, Pfaff raised money from overseas donors to buy AZT and started offering dual therapy at Manguzi in October last year.

Since then, 120 Manguzi women have been given dual therapy, but Pfaff has been charged with misconduct for his efforts.

(More…)

The message is clear: SA’s health authorities will thwart the initiatives of any and all proactive individuals, never mind what the evidence says.  Dr Pfaff even sourced independent funding for his treatment project.

Those puffed up and cretinous health ministry ingrates would be almost funny if they weren’t so obnoxiously odious.

'Luthon64

[bluegray V]

"There was nothing seriously wrong with what Dr Pfaff did," said Mbangwa. "What we are saying is that he should have followed the proper procedures by going through the hospital CEO to raise the money [to buy the AZT]. If every employee of the department raised money in this manner, there would be a lot of disorder and monies would go missing.

Sounds like someone is miffed because he/she didn't get a kickback...

[Anacoluthon64]

Sounds like someone is miffed because he/she didn't get a kickback...

Hmm, yes, despite sounding cynical, that’s always a distinct possibility in our country.  Or maybe Mbangwa is sharp enough to be afraid of being found out — found out, that is, to be entirely redundant.  As for his assertion that "[the KZN health department] will continue to put the interest of [their] people first," this whole Pfaff furore stridently refutes it, unless he actually meant the people who work in said health department…

'Luthon64