Share this article:
Print

Veterans test positive for HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C

Click here for a free download of the latest Adobe Flash Player.

KMOV.com

Posted on July 13, 2010 at 10:23 PM

Updated Sunday, Jul 18 at 10:27 AM

(KMOV) – Blood tests confirm that some veterans who received dental care at the John Cochran Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Midtown are infected with HIV, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C.

While it is unclear if patients became infected due to dental equipment that was not properly sterilized, Congress is still demanding answers, and so are veterans.
 

Terri Odom is one of the two veterans who testified about the disturbing letter she received telling her she might have been exposed to deadly viruses.

She told Congress that the letter was insensitive and no more serious than a letter letting her know the parking lot is being repaved.

Earline Johnson, a former VA employee who broke her silence two weeks ago told lawmakers she tried to alert higher-ups about sterilization problems. She says that got her fired.

When the VA undersecretary said he would get Congress a full report documenting problems by mid-August, Congress was not impressed.

 

Eventually the undersecretary put away his scripted remarks and said he was embarrassed by the way this situation has been handled, and acknowledged mistakes need to be corrected.

 

 

For breaking news alerts, text KMOVNEWS to 21321

...

Have you seen the forecast for tomorrow?
Get the latest St. Louis weather forecast

 

KMOV.com on Facebook

Share this article:
Print

To add a comment, please register or login.

Leave your comment
1000 characters remaining

Submit

We welcome your comments on this story's topic. Off-topic comments, personal attacks, and inappropriate language may be flagged and removed, and comment privileges blocked, per our Terms of Service. Thanks for keeping the comments space respectful.

Privacy Policy

HTML is not allowed.

You have indicated this comment should be removed.

Close

The comment has been submitted for review. Thank you .

Comments: Displaying 1 - 4 of 4

maserati said on July 20, 2010 at 5:19 PM

Start by giving Earline Johnson her ob back and firing whoever decided she should be fired. If this isn't the first thing done, the rest is BS.

48002513
Flag this comment

aliwei said on July 14, 2010 at 9:09 AM

Good luck VETERANS! With our US Justice System!

47458184
Flag this comment

pilot said on July 14, 2010 at 7:22 AM

Great article totally lacking in substance.

47448209
Flag this comment

majrblkout said on July 13, 2010 at 11:43 PM

In my experience, the VA seems to be infected with "office politics disease". Trying to get mistakes corrected takes months and employees act like they're afraid to admit mistakes or do anything that would cause a "higher-up" to look like they made one.

47433827
Flag this comment