Quiet diplomacy is not enough

doi:10.1136/bmj.329.7462.409

BMJ 2004;329:409 (14 August), doi:10.1136/bmj.329.7462.409

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PERSONAL VIEW

Quiet diplomacy is not enough

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

Here is a familiar story: a lethal infection is discovered tohave spread among hospital patients. The culprits are quicklyidentified as substandard hygiene and poor training. On a moresinister note, there is a suspicion in some quarters that foreignstaff, already present in large numbers in the country's healthservice, are somehow to blame.

So far, so familiar: just weeks ago parts of the British mediawere treating the "superbug" crisis in precisely those terms.

Now imagine that a handful of foreign hospital workers are roundedup, imprisoned, and charged with deliberately spreading theinfection, a charge to which they confess under torture. Afterfive and a half years in judicial limbo, they are found guiltyand sentenced to death by firing squad. Friends and relativesof those who died pour on to the streets to welcome the verdictswith whoops of joy.