Smoke Signals
March 1991
page 9
Groups Downplay Risk of
AIDS:
They, call transmission worries
alarmist
The Associated Press
ATLANTA - Groups ranging from the American
Medical Association to the American Civil Liberties
Union told federal officials Thursday that the risk of
getting AIDS from a doctor doesn't warrant mandatory
testing of health workers.
The first of two days of hearings on the issue by the
national Centers for Disease Control brought out
dozens of doctors, medical groups and political coali
tions with opinions about what, if anything, should be
done in the wake of the discovery that three Florida
patients got the AIDS virus from their dentist.
Several groups also took the occasion to blast a
centers' draft report containing an estimate of the risk to
patients of infected physicians. One called the estimate
"a very large instance of mush."
Officials of the Medical Association and the American
Dental Association have recommended that AIDS
infected practitioners either notify their patients or give
up surgery.
"A physician who has a transmissible and fatal disease
should not place his or her patients at risk," Dr. Nancy
Dickey, an Medical Association trustee, said.
But mandatory testing would be over-reacting to a very
slight risk, she said, adding, "we should not lose sight of
the fact that physicians also have rights."
"Do patients have a 'right to know?"' asked Dr. Neil
Schram of the American Association of Physicians for
Human Rights. "Because of the infinitesimal risk, we
don't think so."
Michael Merdian of the National Association of People
With AIDS, which opposes mandatory testing, said, "It's
not the CDC's job to worry about the ADA, the AMA
or the insurance companies."
Officials of the American Federation of State, County
and Municipal Employees, the union for 350,000 health
care workers, and a half dozen other organizations
called for increased safety measures for health care
workers to protect both patients and practitioners,
instead of testing.
Dr. William Roper, the director of the centers, said a
patient's right to know whether his doctor or dentist is a
threat to his health is "a fundamental question in 0
medicine, but it's not a simple question and we really
can't give ... a simplistic answer."
The centers will take more testimony today and will
receive written comments for 30 days after that before
taking any action.
Several organizations blasted the center's draft report
estimating the risk of AIDS to patients of infected
dentists as somewhere between 1 in 263,000 and 1 in 2.6
million. For patients of infected surgeons, the estimated
risk ran from 1 in 42,000 to 1 in 417,000.
The centers arrived at the figures by multiplying three
estimates: Propensity for cuts during treatment,
subsequent contact with a patient's wound and the risk
of AIDS virus transmission.
Several specialists said the limited studies on those
subjects don't permit using the data like that.
Dorothy Ledford
Ledford Earns Recognition
By Brent Merrill
Being honored as Nanitch Sahallie's employee of the
month is an important honor for housekeeping supervi
sor Dorothy Ledford. She is respected by her fellow
employees because of willingness to work hard and her
ability to maintain a pleasant attitude.
"I try to give 100 all the time," explained Ledford. "I
have always done that and I take pride in my work."
Keeping busy is no problem for Ledford, she has plenty
of responsibilities to keep her active. As the center's
housekeeping supervisor her duties include cleaning all
the rooms, bathrooms, hallways, staff offices and the
lobby. She also takes care of the client's weight room,
the laundry room and she takes care of all the trash as
well as maintaining the facility's overall cleanliness.
Ledford said that the high points of her job comes
when she gets the opportunity to interact with the
clients. "When the clients come in I take them around
and show them the facilities and I introduce them to
everyone." Ledford then shows the clients their room
and gives them their bedding. Dorothy explained that
when she is at work she gets the most pleasure from the
people at the center, "especially the kids. Most of the
kids are looking for somebody that they can talk to.
Even the smallest thing you say can affect them."
Ledford believes her role in relationship to the clients
is one of support. "I just try to be there when they (the
clients) need somebody to listen to them," she said. "If
I tell them something I follow through."
Dorothy, who grew up in the Roseburg area in the
small town of Canyonville, Oregon, brings a wealth of
experience to her present position. She worked for
Douglas Community Hospital for over 20 years. She
worked in the operating room, in obstetrics and in the
intensive care unit.
Dorothy and her husband have 8 children and 12
grandchildren. Her son, Jerry Ledford in the Persian
Gulf on the U.S.S. Vancouver.
LOOKING FOR WORK?
Arc you in need of a job, job search skill, resume
writing or classes in typing or computers? The Siletz
JTPA Program will have a program from 1 - 3 pm to
explain program eligibility and program services. Please
plan to attend.
Northwest Indian
Veterans Association
Questionnaire
Notice to Tribal Members:
An informal meeting with representatives of the
Northwest Indian Veterans Association will be held in
Grand Ronde depending on the response of this
questionnaire. The meeting will be for the purpose of
determining the interest in Grand Ronde for establish
ing a chapter of the Northwest Indian Veterans Associa
tion (N.I.VA.)
1. Would you be interested in participating in a N.I.VA.
chapter in Grand Ronde ?
2. Are you aware of the possible benefits you could
receive by participating in a N.I.V.A. chapter ?
Please complete this form and return it to the Tribal
newsletter office as soon as possible. The meeting will
take place depending on the response to this question
naire. No dues will be collected at this time and refresh
ments will be provided.
NORTHWEST INDIAN VETERANS ASSOCIATION
MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION
NAME DATE
ADDRESS:
PHONE :'
D.O.B.
SERVICE :
DATES OF "
SERVICE
BRANCH:
TO
TRIBE(S):
RANK AT TIME OF
DISCHARGE:
WAR ZONE SERVED:
Korea, WWLWW II, Cuba)
OTHER OVERSEAS DUTY
STATIONS:
JVietnam,
NATIVE AMERICAN
SOCIETIES:
COMBAT
DECORATIONS
employed?
education"
DISABLED?
YES
NO
MARITAL STATUS:
ADDRESS:
SPECIAL INTERESTS AND
SKILLS:
Veterans organizations all over the country are
becoming active in chapters like this one. We at Grand
Ronde believe the time has come for our Tribal Veter
ans to receive the benefits due to them.