A recent story states that some TB patients are being held in prison, citing that some have refused to take their meds.

With a few hundred cases of Multiple Drug Resistant TB (MDR) in Kenya and the potential of Extremely Drug Resistant TB (XDR) - as has been reported in RSA, I think its only fair that TB sufferers should be locked up - perhaps not in a prison, but in a suitably designed quarantine facility.

Presently its unclear whether they are being held in prison for REFUSING to take medication and therefore posing a risk to the rest of the population, or whether its for lack of suitable isolation facilities.

1 - Does this really violate any human rights?
2 - Part of the story tells of some individuals who are wary about being tested for fear of getting locked up - will this not exacerbate the problem?

@Djinn, I concur, there is need to quarantine such persons who pose a health hazard to the general public. I am fed up with all sorts of NGOs and busy bodies citing human rights as reasons why such people should be left to violate the law, pose health hazard to the public just because of their "rights".

We should quit comparing our country too unjustifiably with the west in matters where we do not have comparative facilities and capacity. For instance, the law is very clear but the isolation/quarantine facilities are not clearly defined. In the position of law enforcers, the best that such persons can get is isolated cells in our prison facilities period.

we're watching the grim reaper coming.....but we are not running....


http://allafrica.com/stories/201009280066.html