By Trudy Simpson, Staff Reporter
Dr. Figueroa: Ministry has offered care, including
HIV-fighting drugs, and continues to do much despite resource constraints.
At right, Haughton-Cardenas: Says she went public because the nutritional and
health needs of her clients needed to be met.
A 13-YEAR-OLD boy who contracted HIV/AIDS while under hospital care has issued a plea for help from health officials, including Health Minister, John Junor.
The plea followed the Ministry's statement that it does not accept liability for his infection and disclosure from attorney, Antonnette Haughton-Cardenas, that her company has filed a multi-million dollar civil suit against the Ministry, the Blood Bank, the Bustamante Hospital for Children and the Kingston Public Hospital (KPH).
Dr. Peter Figueroa, Chief of Epidemiology and AIDS, has said that the Ministry's defence is based on the negative results from tests carried out on blood donors from that period. The Attorney-General, representing the Ministry, also filed a defence in court. But this did not matter to Michael, the name by which the boy is referred.
"Ah want them gi mi some money and food and clothes and ah want help to buy insure (insurance)," he stuttered.
His parents blasted health officials, calling for a speedy settlement to the case and better care. "Ah nuh nothing wi ah mek up. Over 100 (blood) transfusion him get so that mean say him more at risk fi get that and dem shoulda look pan dat and see it," his father said.
NEED A FAIR OFFER
"I want John Junor to know that he didn't born with HIV, so I would like for Mr. Junor to take back what has been said about not taking liability for him," his mother added, as relatives gathered Thursday at the offices of Haughton and Associates in New Kingston.
"I need a fair offer so I can support my child with whatever he needs," she said. The Ministry said it is solely responsible for HIV-fighting drugs and has only given them four cheques toward this, she said.
The boy reportedly contracted HIV at the Bustamante Children's Hospital six years ago and is suing the state, along with a 23-year-old woman who contracted the illness around February 2001, while getting treated for her low blood count at the KPH.
Michael's parents said they received a letter which, they said, admits that he got HIV through the health system. But Dr. Figueroa explained that the letter was not an admission of liability, but a means to allow the boy easier access to treatment.
For her part, the woman, now 24 years old, viewed the Ministry's acceptance of liability in her case without enthusiasm.
"What they have been doing is giving me a lot of mouth talk and nothing in writing and nothing can be done with mouth talk," she said.
MINISTRY DENIALS
Mrs. Haughton-Cardenas said recently that she went public because the nutritional and health needs of her clients needed to be met and that the Ministry has not made an interim offer of payment.
Dr. Figueroa denied this, adding that the Ministry of Health has offered care, including HIV-fighting drugs, and continues to do much despite inadequate resources.
The Ministry said it made special arrangements for them to see specialists and spent $400,000 plus to import items needed for the boy's haemophilia treatment. However, relatives of both persons said they have problems collecting medication and that the Ministry only made few payments to them to help cover their care. In the case of the boy, the parents said they received only four cheques, totalling $30,000, over the six years their son has been infected. The 23-year-old woman said that she has received one cheque, which 'bounced'.
