The Health News – 06 January 2016

Overview:
• Martin Jaksic was arrested at Sydney Airport for being accused of infecting another man with HIV.

• The AMA has joined international calls for governments and armed combatants to respect the medical neutrality of doctors and other health professionals working in conflict zones around the world.

• AMA President, Professor Brian Owler, said that a spate of drug-related deaths and hospitalisations at music festivals in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Brisbane late last year, had highlighted the need for organisers and those attending to take care when attending such events.

News on Health Professional Radio. Today is the 6th January 2016. Read by Rebecca Foster. Health News

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-01-04/man-charged-after-allegedly-infecting-another-man-with-hiv/7066112

A 28-year-old man who is accused of infecting another man with HIV has faced a Sydney court.

Martin Jaksic was arrested at Sydney Airport … and later charged with recklessly inflicting grievous bodily harm.

He appeared via video link at Central Local Court and did not apply for bail.

The case will return to court on Thursday.

https://ama.com.au/media/combatants-must-respect-neutrality-health-workers

The AMA has joined international calls for governments and armed combatants to respect the medical neutrality of doctors and other health professionals working in conflict zones around the world.

Following a year of deadly attacks on hospitals and health workers in 2015, the AMA has backed efforts by the World Medical Association, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), and others to ensure the safety of doctors and other health professionals involved in providing care to the sick and injured in global trouble spots.

AMA President, Professor Brian Owler, said … there was a proud tradition of Australian health professionals volunteering to work in some of the most difficult and dangerous places in the world to provide lifesaving health care, and every effort should be made to ensure that they can do so safely.

…

The AMA President’s comments have come amid mounting international concern over attacks on health workers and medical facilities.

More than 4200 health workers were killed, beaten, tortured, or shot in 2398 incidents identified by the ICRC in just 11 countries between 2012 and 2014, and last year there were several high-profile attacks, including a devastating US bombing raid on a Medicins Sans Frontieres hospital in … Afghanistan, in which 30 people … were killed.

In the wake of these attacks, governments from around the world attending an ICRC conference last month reaffirmed their commitment to international humanitarian law and a prohibition on attacks on the sick and wounded, as well as those caring for them.

https://ama.com.au/media/festival-organisers-should-put-safety-first

Music festival organisers should ensure partygoers have access to free drinking water, shade, ‘chill out’ zones, and adequate first aid services to help ensure the safety of patrons, according to the AMA.

AMA President, Professor Brian Owler, said … that a spate of drug-related deaths and hospitalisations at music festivals in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Brisbane late last year, had highlighted the need for organisers and those attending to take care when attending such events.

…

In late 2015 two young people died and dozens were taken to hospital in a critical condition after taking illicit drugs at a series of Stereosonic festivals in the major capital cities.

Professor Owler said taking illicit drugs, particularly in an environment where people are outdoors all day in the sun surrounded by large crowds, was extremely dangerous.

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But the AMA President said it was not just illicit drugs that posed a safety risk.

He said consuming too much alcohol, not drinking enough water, and spending hours in the sun without a hat or sunscreen all put the health of partygoers at risk.

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[He] said festival organisers should make fresh drinking water freely available.

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He said they should also provide sufficient shaded places and chill out zones for festivalgoers seeking a break, and they need to ensure there are first-responders and first aid-trained staff commensurate with the crowd size.

He said partygoers also had a role to play in ensuring their own safety by not engaging in risky and potentially harmful behaviour, and by taking some sensible precautions like wearing sunscreen, protective clothing and sensible footwear, and keeping an eye on the weather.