If HSE struggles with superbugs how could it ever tackle ebola?

Since the story broke of the ebola virus, we’ve all learned it is spread [in part] through close contact with infected bush meat. According to the Born Free Foundation, every year, 7,500 tonnes of bush meat is imported into Britain, often wrapped in plastic and kept in holdalls during flights. How much is coming into Ireland?

And with Irish doctors now travelling to West Africa, there is a chance of them returning with Ebola. Or are we waiting until they’re surely infected before flying them back, like happened with the Spanish doctor?

The HSE says this is not a worry at all. But in the past, they have proven their ill-worth and disregard to the people they should heal. They are unable to perform decent deep cleaning in hospitals to combat superbugs, let alone handle an illness with a 90% fatality rate.

The reason for this letter is to finally hear the truth from the HSE on how they are really prepared to treat people like myself, with immune-related illnesses if worst case scenarios start happening. I have MS, immune-mediated, and pick up illnesses I would never acquire if healthy.

In 2007/2008, I was infected by clostridium difficile and I almost passed away because of this hospital-acquired superbug. Usually elderly people who reside in nursing homes and other long-term accommodation are the first to catch C. Diff but I was only 34.5 years old and living independently. My severe underlying condition put me at risk.

The second reason for this letter is to point out how hospitals everywhere are finding it harder to keep bacteria and viruses out of wards and examination rooms. Deep cleaning hospitals isn’t taken seriously because of the high cost involved.

In Ireland in 2008, approximately 2500 cases of C. Diff were reported. So far this year, C. Diff was diagnosed 899 times in Irish hospitals, and if the statistics don’t see any drastic changes, approximately 1,600 will be known by the end of the year... [That] is a very, very scary number.

According to UK studies, treating a C. Diff patient can run up to £7,000 [about €8,700] per patient. Surely it can’t be that expensive organising deep clean days?

With figures like this around C. Diff, how on earth will the HSE ever be able to tackle ebola should it reach Irish shores?

In my view, it’s not IF it reaches us, but WHEN it happens.

Willeke Van Eeckhoutte

15 St Mochta’s Road,

Dublin 15