Andrew
FARIDAH Kiconco, a 37-year-old Ugandan woman who underwent HIV therapy for six years before learning she was never positive, has requested compensation.
Kiconco sought antenatal care at the close-by Kabwohe Health Centre IV in 2011 when she got pregnant.
Her HIV test was originally recommended by the medical staff; it was positive, and she was then started on antiretroviral therapy (ART).
She told Daily Monitor, “I did not have any health issues when I started taking ARVs, but I accepted to take my prescription for my life’s sake.”
On July 11, 2012, she delivered her first born at Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital and she continued with her medication until when she delivered her second child on August 12, 2017 at Kabwohe Health Centre IV before developing side effects, a month after giving birth.
She said her skin turned yellow thereafter and her major body organs were not functioning normally.
Upon her return to Kabwohe Health Centre IV, she was referred to Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital (MRRH) where she was declared HIV negative after a medical test.
While at the referral hospital, more tests were conducted and blood samples taken to Kampala.
“Three days later, the Kabwohe Health Centre IV in-charge called me and after reading through the results, he declared me HIV negative,” Ms Kiconco says.
Ms Kiconco in 2018 filed a case at Mbarara High Court against the government, seeking compensation but the case is yet to be heard, four years later.
Her lawyer, Mr Amon Aruho of Mubiru and Aruho Associate Advocates, says her client suffered physically and emotionally due to consumption of ARVs.
“The ARVs affected her body organs such as the kidney and liver. We want her compensated for the damages she has suffered as a result of the ARVs,” he claims.
“When this matter had started taking shape, the pandemic came in and the judge who was hearing the matter, Justice Jane Kiggundu, retired, so the file is awaiting a new judge.”
When contacted, Mbarara High Court deputy registrar Samuel Twakyire said the absence of the judge delayed the hearing of the case.
“Since that case was brought to court, it has never been heard and even the current Principal Judge had dismissed it because the parties involved were not attending court,” he said.
“It was later reinstated and since then the judge has been absent because she retired and they have not yet given us another judge so I believe that once we get another judge, it will take off,” he added.
Sheema District Acting Health Officer Kadaraza Edrida said “the case was being handled.”The in-charge of Kabwohe Health Centre IV, Dr Holace Kizito, added: “I just came to the facility a few months ago so I do not know much about that issue and I was not there by the time it happened so I cannot tell you much.”
Hundreds of live animals discovered at airport
Two women were caught trying to board a flight with hundreds of live animals in their suitcases including 50 chameleons and 35 turtles.
Nithya Raja (38) and Zakia Sulthana (24) were detained when an x-ray screening of their luggage revealed more than 100 creatures stuffed inside their bags.
If the animals had been sold on, they would have been worth an estimated 200 000 Thai Baht (THB) (roughly US$5,514), authorities said.
The suspected wildlife smugglers, both from India, were reportedly on their way to Chennai.
They were flying from Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport on June 27 when they were arrested.
Sathon Konggoen, chief of the wildlife inspection office at the airport, said: “This kind of case has happened many times because the animals have expensive price tags in India.
“Animal trafficking is usually detected at the Thai-Myanmar borders and domestic airports to a certain extent.”
Officers rescued 50 chameleons, 35 turtles, 20 snakes, two porcupines and two armadillos packed inside a pair of bags.
Two iguanas were found dead, while the other reptiles showed symptoms of dehydration, authorities said.
The animals are now receiving treatment and will be transferred to wildlife centres or breeding facilities.
Meanwhile, the women were charged with violating the Animal Disease Act of 2015, the Customs Act of 2017, and the Wildlife Conservation and Protection Act of 2019.
They were remanded in police custody while awaiting official prosecution.
Tragic end to joyride with stolen airplane
A baggage porter at Seattle Airport hijacked an Alaska Airlines plane, then deliberately crashed it on a deserted island to kill himself.
Airport CCTV footage from cameras within the terminal and outside on the tarmac that captures the 2018 incident as it happens in real time has been made public by Port of Seattle authorities.
In the footage, 29-year-old Richard Russell, who worked as a baggage handler at the airport, is seen passing through airport security with the words, “the Sky’s no limit” written on the back of his t-shirt.
Five hours later, Russell is seen making it out onto the tarmac in the cargo area of the airport and then using a tow vehicle to push the propeller aircraft back out onto a taxiway.
Air traffic control started to sense something was not right and tried to make contact with the plane, but received no response.
Meanwhile, Russell’s co-workers can be seen walking nearby, oblivious to the fact that he is about to get behind the controls of the plane.
Russell can be seen opening the cabin door to the Q400 Turboprop and jumping into the cockpit and taking off.
“Seattle ground Horizon guy. About to take off. It’s gonna be crazy,” he radios the control tower.
Video shot from the ground later shows him performing stunts over Puget Sound.
“Hey, I found myself in a predicament. I’m in the air right now. And just gonna soar around,” he can be heard saying over the radio.
On air traffic control recordings, Russel can be heard speaking with controllers who attempt to persuade him to make a safe landing.
Russell can also be heard joking with air traffic controllers.
At one point, he even asked air traffic controllers: “Hey do you think if I land this successfully Alaska will give me a job as a pilot?”
The air traffic controller replied, “you know, I think they would give you a job doing anything if you could pull this off.”
Russell replied: “Yeah right! Nah, I’m a white guy.”
Air traffic controllers can also be heard begging Russell to land the plane and try to give him directions to a runway where he can land.
“There is the runway just off your right side in about a mile, do you see that?” the traffic controller said.
“Oh those guys will try to rough me up if I try to land there…,” Russell replied. “I think I might mess something up there too. I wouldn’t want to do that. Oh they probably have got anti-aircraft.”
“They don’t have any of that stuff, we are just trying to find you a place to land safely,” the traffic controller responded.
Russell told the air traffic controller he wasn’t “quite ready” to bring the plane down.
“But holy smokes I need to stop looking at the fuel ‘cos it’s going down quick,” he added.
“OK, Rich, if you could, could you start a left-hand turn and we’ll take you down to the south-east,” the traffic controller said.
“This is probably jail time for life, huh?” Russell replied. “I would hope it is for a guy like me.”
While still in the air, Russel is heard telling traffic controllers he is “just a broken guy” before telling them he is preparing for “jail time for life”.
Two F-15 fighter jets scrambled from Portland minutes after the plane took off to intercept it. They were unsuccessful and one hour and 13 minutes after taking off, Russell then intentionally crashes the plane on an island about 30 miles away, killing himself.
The FBI ruled his death as suicide and say that the incident was not part of any wider criminal activity or terrorism and that Russell acted alone. —Wires
Online Reporter