Portugal’s nurses union announced today that five of its members and two operating assistants have contracted tuberculosis from a patient.
The union also accuses the Secretary of State for Health, Leal da Costa, of playing down the situation while health managers failed to follow standard set procedures.
The situation was made public in early February when it became known that 28 health workers had been exposed to a patient with tuberculosis in Portimão hospital during September and October 2014.
The medical staff had to wait several months for the results of tests which showed that five nurses and two assistants had latent tuberculosis.
The cases came to light at a time when already it was known that a nurse in Faro hospital’s surgical department had contracted tuberculosis.
The union points out that back in February this year the Secretary of State for Health, Leal da Costa played down the event at Faro hospital when reporting to the Parliamentary Committee on Health.
The nurses union representative Nuno Manjua argues that Faro hospital management did not follow standard procedures, that management was aware there had been a risk to staff of exposure and that there was a delay of six months before the risk assessment was completed.
"In a situation of this gravity, the Secretary of State should have taken the necessary steps to find out what had been done since it is not only the health of professionals that is at risk, but the risk of possible contagion to their families and patients," claims the union, adding that, "nurses care for people, but no one takes care of them."
The union also noted that the lack of health workers, materials, consultation and periodic examinations has led to an increase in occupational accidents and in occupational diseases.
The union complaints have hit home as the General Inspectorate for Health already has mounted an investigation into tuberculosis, how it was contracted and whether indeed the proceedures were followed to minimise risk to staff and other patients.
Most TB infections do not have symptoms, known as latent tuberculosis. About one in ten latent infections eventually progresses to active disease which, if left untreated, kills more than 50% of those so infected.
