South African farm worker Precilla Yolanda Mbatha (37), who had been in New Zealand about four years, died two weeks ago when a quad bike she was riding overturned and crushed her, but the man who gave her CPR says he wishes he had known she was HIV positive. The man, who wants to be known only as Bob, said yesterday he would not change what he did, but that he and his co-workers should have known about her condition.
"We could have been a bit more prepared and could have handled anything that happened to her, like if she got cut or something, more safely."
No-one working at the dairy farm, including the owner, had been aware Ms Mbatha, who sent most of her money home to South Africa for her 11-year-old daughter, was HIV positive.
According to the New Zealand Aids Foundation website, new immigration policy for those applying for permanent residency was implemented on November 28, 2005.
Under the changes, those applying from outside New Zealand to immigrate and stay permanently as a resident, or those changing temporary work or student visas to a visa/residency for a period of 12 months or more while in New Zealand, were required to provide a medical certificate covering a variety of tests, including a chest X-ray for tuberculosis, and an HIV test.
Bob and his wife were shocked and surprised when police knocked on their door soon after the accident to tell them their friend had been HIV positive.
The risk of contracting HIV through saliva contact is almost zero, but Bob had an open wound from a tooth extracted two days earlier. The chances were "extremely low", he said, but enough for him to worry.
He faced six months of tests before he would get the all-clear and had to start a course of precautionary drugs at Dunedin Hospital next week, the $2000 cost of which was "well beyond" him and his wife, Bob said.
His main issue was with ACC, which had denied his claim for payment for the tests. The corporation did not expand on why it would not pay for tests. Bob has engaged a Christchurch lawyer to appeal the decision.
University of Otago medical ethics specialist Prof Grant Gillett told One News legally it was a patient's right to keep private personal information such as being HIV positive.
"The consensus among both ethicists and interested groups has been that the risks in the workplace are so low that it doesn't justify the possibility of stigmatisation by spreading the news," Prof Gillett saidAt least one specialist says Bob did the right thing.
St John medical director Tony Smith said a person's chance of surviving cardiac arrest doubled if they were given immediate CPR and chest compressions.
St John was of the view that issues such as HIV or hepatitis should not prevent people from administering CPR when it was required.
ACC did not respond to calls yesterday.
