The Gibbons Contamination Caper

March 16, 2008

About 40,000 patients of Dr. Dipak Desai, owner of the Endoscopy Center of Southern Nevada in Las Vegas were exposed to blood borne diseases such as HIV/AIDs and Hepatitis C. This happened from March 2004 to January 2008 because of cost cutting procedures implemented by Desai to maximize his profits. Patient health be damned.

Desai’s staff regularly reused needles, cleaning and sanitizing solutions and anesthesia vials between patients and now 6 patients have hepatitis C an incurable liver disease because of the cross contamination. The staff knew they placed patients at risk but did it anyway. Incredible.

Even more incredible is the Governor’s reaction to this tragedy which was to claim more inspections were not needed and blamed the press for a health hysteria.

This is what was reported on March 15, 2008:

Following his speech at the Washoe County Republican Convention, Gibbons expressed concern that people will not seek important medical procedures because of the “buffoonery” of the state’s press corps.

“This hysteria has been created by people not getting the right information,” Gibbons said. “The fact is they haven’t found more than those six people (who contracted hepatitis C).”

Gov. Gibbons lashes out at news media, Reacts to health clinic scare ANJEANETTE DAMON , RENO GAZETTE-JOURNAL  Posted: 3/15/2008, http://news.rgj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080315/NEWS18/80315025&oaso=news.rgj.com%2Fbreakingnews

Sure, he can’t blame his stupidity and incompetence so there has to be a scapegoat like the press. This is typical for Gibbons and his administration.

Further, he leaves out is own complicity of refusing requests for more staff to conduct inspections. Even after he did put back some positions, they remain unfilled and not for the reasons people think. The agency in charge said the positions were “hard to fill” but what they did not tell you is that you cannot fill positions the Governor refuses to have filled. His position is a shortsighted cost cutting measure like Desai's.

People will suffer because of it and neither Desai or Gibbons cares.

What Gibbons also fails to tell you is that Desai is a political supporter not only with kind words but with lots of cash. Desai was also on the Nevada Medical Board and on Gibbons’ “transition team” after his election. Their friendship is strong and based on personal interests.

The relationship between Gibbons and Desai make Gibbons’ words suspect. He cannot be trusted to do the right thing and like Desai, it is patients and public health be damned.