Hep-C, Chlamydia and Gonorrhea rampant, on Sask reserves
ShepherdsDog @ Thu Jun 04, 2015 8:17 am
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatche ... -1.3097651
$1:
In Saskatchewan, new cases of chlamydia have grown by 60 per cent over the past decade. In 2012, the on-reserve rate was seven times the national rate
And over the past decade, new cases of gonorrhea more than doubled. In 2012, the on-reserve gonorrhea rate in Saskatchewan was 17 times the national average.
And over the past decade, new cases of gonorrhea more than doubled. In 2012, the on-reserve gonorrhea rate in Saskatchewan was 17 times the national average.
$1:
But Dr. Mona Loutfy, an infectious disease specialist at Women's College Hospital in Toronto, said Health Canada's testing program is woefully inadequate.
She said on reserves "there's no widespread HIV-testing programs happening" and as a result "we just don't know what's happening. And I think that that's very worrisome."
She said both the federal and provincial governments need to be much more aggressive about testing and offering treatment, and not just for humanitarian reasons.
She said these growing epidemics are going to get very costly.
Loutfy points out that a typical HIV treatment costs $1500 a month. She pointed out the costs can add up because on some Saskatchewan reserves people as young as 13 are being diagnosed with the disease.
She said Hep-C is also a massive drain on the system.
"The cost of the treatment of hepatitis C is close to 80 thousand dollars per treatment," Loutfy pointed out. "So if they don't address the hepatitis C problem and get the rates down and get the transmission down it's going to cost of millions and millions of taxpayer dollars to treat this problem."
She said on reserves "there's no widespread HIV-testing programs happening" and as a result "we just don't know what's happening. And I think that that's very worrisome."
She said both the federal and provincial governments need to be much more aggressive about testing and offering treatment, and not just for humanitarian reasons.
She said these growing epidemics are going to get very costly.
Loutfy points out that a typical HIV treatment costs $1500 a month. She pointed out the costs can add up because on some Saskatchewan reserves people as young as 13 are being diagnosed with the disease.
She said Hep-C is also a massive drain on the system.
"The cost of the treatment of hepatitis C is close to 80 thousand dollars per treatment," Loutfy pointed out. "So if they don't address the hepatitis C problem and get the rates down and get the transmission down it's going to cost of millions and millions of taxpayer dollars to treat this problem."
A big part of the problem is the lack of access to medical treatment on these reserves. Education, or lack thereof, is another facet. The schools are trying to get the message through to girls, starting in Gr. 6, that they don't have to give into pressure. Boys a couple years, and some several years older are really pressuring them to have sex.
BartSimpson @ Thu Jun 04, 2015 8:44 am
$1:
A big part of the problem is the lack of access to medical treatment on these reserves.
Uh, right. It's an access to health care problem that these people have no self-control.
DrCaleb @ Thu Jun 04, 2015 8:45 am
Prevention generally cheaper than the cure. 
DrCaleb @ Thu Jun 04, 2015 8:47 am
BartSimpson BartSimpson:
$1:
A big part of the problem is the lack of access to medical treatment on these reserves.
Uh, right. It's an access to health care problem that these people have no self-control.
Its the fact that they aren't tested and eventually die from treatable things like AIDS. Without testing and information on how to not spread it, it spreads. Its not about 'self control', because they don't know they are spreading it.
BartSimpson @ Thu Jun 04, 2015 9:07 am
DrCaleb DrCaleb:
Prevention generally cheaper than the cure.
True. And in the course of various deployments over the years I managed to avoid visiting brothels and whoring around and, guess what? I never contracted an STD! It's fucking amazing, isn't it?
I say that because in the case of STD's the best way to prevent them is to not sleep around. But I suppose that's some sort of right-wing radical extremism to suggest that people should use a little discretion before taking off their pants.
BartSimpson @ Thu Jun 04, 2015 9:09 am
DrCaleb DrCaleb:
Its the fact that they aren't tested and eventually die from treatable things like AIDS. Without testing and information on how to not spread it, it spreads. Its not about 'self control', because they don't know they are spreading it.
Ooops. I'm all out of fucks. Can't give you any right now. Sorry!
martin14 @ Thu Jun 04, 2015 9:10 am
DrCaleb DrCaleb:
Prevention generally cheaper than the cure.
Condoms are cheap, but that would be cultural genocide.
2Cdo @ Thu Jun 04, 2015 2:22 pm
raydan raydan:
And WHO'S fault is this?
Oh right, it's our fault.
Oh right, it's our fault.
No, no, no, it must be Harpers.
BartSimpson @ Thu Jun 04, 2015 2:45 pm
2Cdo 2Cdo:
raydan raydan:
And WHO'S fault is this?
Oh right, it's our fault.
Oh right, it's our fault.
No, no, no, it must be Harpers.
