#TurksandCaicos, March 8, 2021 – InterHealth Canada-Turks and Caicos Islands Hospital in partnership with the Turks and Caicos Islands Government, continues to monitor and manage various critical resources that can affect the hospital’s capacity during the COVID-19 national response. These include the availability of hospital beds, personal protective equipment (PPE), human resources, and oxygen.
The installation of an oxygen generator system at the Turks and
Caicos Islands Hospital is scheduled to commence this week. The project seeks
to provide the hospital with the equipment to independently produce
medical-grade oxygen and reduce the reliance on overseas suppliers.
The system design and layout process are underway, and the overall
project is expected to span 10 to 12 weeks.
A duplex MDOCS 200 VSA oxygen generation system will be installed
at both the Cheshire Hall Medical Centre on Providenciales and Cockburn Town
Medical Centre on Grand Turk. During the installation process, the hospital can
utilize an emergency provision to rapidly install an oxygen generator module if
there are supply-chain difficulties encountered with the shipment of oxygen
cylinders.
COVID-19 is a respiratory virus, and due to the nature of the disease,
the virus can affect the lungs and impair a patient’s ability to intake
sufficient oxygen. Therefore, oxygen is the mainstay of clinical therapy for
patients admitted with severe COVID-19 disease, and for these reasons, piped
oxygen demands are naturally higher during the pandemic.
The supply and consumption rate of oxygen is actively monitored in
conjunction with the patient admission and discharge trends. Oxygen supply
levels can fluctuate daily based on patient care needs and the length of inpatient
stay for COVID-19 patients. Oxygen cylinders are ordered on a rotation cycle,
and approximately 100 or more cylinders arrive from overseas every week to
bolster supply levels. Liquid oxygen cylinders are also used, which provides
the health care facility with an even higher storage capacity.
The project is government-funded, and InterHealth Canada, the
hospital’s private health care management company, is specifically responsible
for the coordination and logistics onsite. A robust phase of quality assurance
checks was completed to ensure the requisite standards and technical
specifications were met before the installation contract.
Deputy Premier and Minister of Health, Agriculture and Human
Services, Honorable Erwin Jay Saunders, stated: “The Ministry
of Health (MOH) has been working closely with TCI Hospital since the start of
the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure that capacity was built at the hospitals to
respond to this public health emergency, being the only secondary care
facilities in the TCI. A joint plan of work was undertaken and funded by the
TCIG and included the uplift of additional beds at both sites, including
furniture, procurement of biomedical equipment and consumables for these beds,
procurement of personal protective equipment (PPE), facilitating additional
clinical staffing from Cuba as well as the development of a capacity to
generate oxygen within the TCI for the first time.
Previously, the TCI has relied on the importation of medical-grade
oxygen for use in the hospital and clinics. The oxygen generators were
purchased and are in-country, and works are underway to install and commission
these generators.
This initiative will be sustainable in allowing the hospitals to
generate oxygen in the country during the pandemic and beyond and no longer
rely on external sources. We are excited about this development and the
partnership which has led to this point and look forward to the implementation
of these devices as a part of the ongoing COVID-19 response.”
Chief Executive Officer at TCI Hospital, Dr. Denise
Braithwaite-Tennant, stated: “This represents a tremendous achievement in
our pandemic and disaster resiliency. The genesis of this project came about as
a result of a task force commissioned in the early months of the pandemic.
The task force was led by PS Desiree Lewis, supported by
specialist advisors from the UK and members of the hospital and team health.
During the ensuing months, we conducted robust data analysis and scenario
planning, and the outcomes are the hospital and system developments that are
progressively being implemented by various project leads. It was also important
that the oxygen generating capacity be present at both the Providenciales and
Grand Turk facilities, which seek to build redundancy and resiliency. This is
especially important when one considers that each facility for periods has to
operate without the support of its sister facility during a disaster.
The project leads for the oxygen generator implementation are Ms.
Florinda Talbot, MOH Contract Manager, and Martín Dawtry, our facilities
General Manager and strongly supported by the AG Chambers. The project leads
have all worked passionately with both the hospital and MOH teams to bring this
new and potentially life-saving technology to the Islands and continue
to do so as the contractor progresses the installation. It is through
a collaborative and visionary relationship with the Turks and Caicos Islands
Government that great successes are achieved for the community.”
Chief of Medical Services at TCI Hospital, Dr. Dawn Perry-Ewing,
stated: “The upscaling of TCI Hospital’s capacity to deliver care to
patients during this pandemic makes the nation’s healthcare system even more
resilient. This project is the result of a collaboration between the TCI
Government and TCI Hospital. The welcomed arrival of the generators gives our
operating team a wider margin of comfort as we can consistently provide a
higher standard of care to our patients.”
Contract Manager at the TCI Government Contract Management Unit,
Florinda Talbot, stated: “Hospitals all over the world realize that onsite
oxygen generation provides a highly reliable and economical solution for their
oxygen requirement. This includes directly supplying oxygen to the hospital’s
in-house supply lines, filling cylinders to provide backup or supply for
over-peak demands. I am elated to see that the TCI Hospital has arrived at this
stage.”
General Manager of Facilities at TCI Hospital, Martin Dawtry,
stated: “This is a great partnership initiative, which allows the health
care facility to generate its medical grade oxygen, not only for this current
pandemic but for future resilience. We will also have the ability to produce
medical-grade oxygen to fill our cylinders to support oxygen needs for
community clinics across the islands. The installation works will add to our
existing long list of resources implemented at TCI hospital to improve patient
care during this pandemic and support additional capacity.”
Following a landmark Public Signing Ceremony for the Pandemic Fund (PF) Technical Cooperation Agreement (“Reducing the Public Health Impact of Pandemics in the Caribbean through Prevention, Preparedness, and Response” [RG-T4387] Project) on December 14, 2023, in Trinidad, the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) continues to progress towards the start of implementation.
CARPHA fulfilled the IDB’s nine conditions prior to first disbursement, achieving full eligibility on March 15, 2024, and is now eligible for the first disbursement. This milestone achievement in just 3 monthsafter the signing speaks to the commitment of both CARPHA, the Executing Agency, and IDB, the Implementing Entity, toward the regional PF project with the objective of supporting the reduction of the public health impact of pandemics in the Caribbean by building pandemic prevention, preparedness and response (PPR) surveillance & early-warning systems (EWS), laboratory systems and workforce capacity, regionally at CARPHA and in countries.
Since the signing of the Technical Cooperation Agreement and as part of the conditions prior to first disbursement, CARPHA has achieved the following key outputs (i) the development of the PF Project Operations Manual, Multi-annual Execution Plan, Procurement Plan, Financial Plan, Procedure for CARPHA’s Financial Reporting System; (ii) vacancy announcements for two tranches of consultants with the subsequent hiring of five (Technical Coordinator, Financial Specialist, Procurement Specialist, Operations Officer and Project Operations Coordinator) and (iii) the establishment of the Project Execution Unit (PEU) and Project Execution Steering Committee (PESC). The dedicated PEU will be responsible for execution according to its planned timelines, which will be led by the Dr. Lisa Indar, the Project Director (CARPHA’s Director of Surveillance, Disease Prevention and Control Division).
CARPHA, as the lead regional public health agency and an expression of Caribbean Cooperation in Health is mandated by its Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) to support its 26 CARPHA Member States (CMS) in bolstering national systems and coordinating regional response to public health threats. The Agency works closely with regional and international agencies and uses regional mechanisms, surveillance systems, and networks for coordinating its public health response work.
In July 2023, the PF Governing Board announced that CARPHA’s regional entity proposal, entitled ‘Reducing the Public Health Impact of Pandemics in the Caribbean through Strengthened Integrated Early Warning Surveillance, Laboratory Systems and Workforce Development’ was successfully selected for the first round of financing. It was one of only 19 proposals selected from over 300 submissions and the only regional project. The three priority areas in the proposal are: (i) Comprehensive disease surveillance and EWS, (ii) Laboratory systems and (iii) Human resources and public health and community workforce capacity.
This project is expected to begin implementation in March 2024, starting off with a blended onboarding session. A Stakeholder Meeting with countries is tentatively planned for July 2024.
CARPHA remains dedicated to working together with the IDB, CARPHA Member States and the Pandemic Fund to successfully implement the regional proposal geared toward reducing the public health impact of pandemics in the Caribbean.
The Ministry of Health and Human Services proudly announces the successful launch of the Electronic Patient Care Report (ePCR), marking a historic milestone in emergency healthcare services. The official unveiling ceremony took place on March 12, 2024 at the Atrium conference room.
In attendance were distinguished dignitaries, including Deputy Premier and Minister of Physical Planning and Infrastructure Development, Honourable Jamell Robinson; Minister of Health and Human Services, Honourable Shaun D. Malcolm; Minister of Tourism, Environment, Maritime, Culture, Heritage and Religious Affairs, Honourable Josephine Connolly; Minister of Education, Youth, Sports and Library Services, Honourable Rachel Taylor; the Minister of Immigration and Border Services, Honourable Arlington Musgrove; and the Permanent Secretary of Health, Mrs Desiree Lewis, who recognized the significance of the ePCR system in promoting public health and safety. Their presence underscored the government’s unwavering commitment to investing in healthcare infrastructure and technological advancements to better serve the needs of the population. Thus reaffirming their support for initiatives aimed at improving emergency healthcare services and strengthening the National Emergency Medical Service’s capabilities.
During the launch event, the Minister of Health and Human Services highlighted the transformative impact of the ePCR system on patient care and emergency response efforts. Emphasizing the importance of innovation in healthcare, the Minister expressed gratitude to the dedicated team of professionals who contributed to the development and implementation of the ground breaking technology. The Deputy Premier praised the collaborative efforts of all stakeholders involved in the development and implementation of the ePCR system, affirming its potential to revolutionize emergency medical services especially the pre-hospital management of citizens and visitors across the country.
The Director of Emergency Medical Services, Mr. Andy Brijmohansingh, spoke passionately about the importance of embracing technology to advance patient care. “The introduction of the Electronic Patient Care Report marks a new chapter in our commitment to providing high-quality emergency medical services,” said Mr Brijmohansingh. “This innovative system empowers our teams with the tools they need to deliver swift and effective care, while ensuring that patient information is accurately captured and securely shared.”
The Electronic Patient Care Report (ePCR) represents a significant advancement in the National Ambulance Service’s mission to deliver efficient and high-quality emergency medical care to citizens across the nation. Developed with cutting-edge technology and meticulous attention to detail, the ePCR system streamlines the documentation process, enhances communication, and ensures the seamless transfer of patient information between emergency responders and healthcare facilities.
The launch of the Electronic Patient Care Report marks a new chapter in the evolution of emergency medical services, promising enhanced efficiency, accuracy, and patient outcomes. With its implementation, the National Emergency Medical Services reaffirms its dedication to providing timely and effective care to individuals in their time of need.
#Haiti#FoodInsecurity, March 25th, 2024– Half of Haiti’s population or nearly 5 million people are classified as food insecure for the period March to June 2024, a projected 50 percent increase up from 45 percent from August 2023 to February 2024. This is according to the Haitian Government in a March 23rd report, as informed by an update from an IPC1 analysis. The factors contributing to the continued decrease in food security, the report says, include the increase of the food basket by 22 percent as of February 2024 and the worsening Violence which disrupts food supply chains.