1 July 2001
Your Perspective

This month we're working on the principle that exchange and debate is good
for your health. Sometimes there's nothing better than a good rant about
something in the papers. Here're a few stories from the last week to clear
your imagination.

What do you think about...

AIDS in China

Reports are emerging from China of an outbreak of HIV in Henan in unusually
calamitous circumstances. ("The Aids scandal China could not hush up",
Guardian, Monday June 11 2001). Ten years ago, commercial companies known
as 'bloodheads' began offering Chinese peasants an irresistible offer:
sell us your blood, and we'll give you cash.

The idea was to extract the plasma from the blood and return the rest from a
common source plus cash. Things went wrong when red blood cells found their
way back to people from contaminated sources via unsterile equipment.

Read the Guardian article

Is this another example of Chinese peasants jumping on schemes to get rich
quick?

Or the effect of globalisation on a vulnerable group?

Give us your views!

Racism in the NHS

The Kings Fund published on Tuesday a report into racial harassment within
the NHS. The report found that doctors from black and minority ethnic
groups were less likely to get promotions or other desirable jobs, instead
being sidelined into unpopular practices in difficult areas.

Although unnamed sources have reported to us that this is scare mongering,
and will be harmful to the prospects of medical staff from ethnic
minorities, others have said that the NHS is deeply racist both in its
treatment of staff and of patients.

A second report has just confirmed the worst and provided statistical
evidence of such racism.

Do you work in the NHS?

Have you experienced racism yourself, as a medic or a patient?

Is it all a load of pc nonsense?

What do you think?

Send your views to:
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