#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.
8 March International women’s day illustration
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.”
#USA, August 4, 2022 – For the first time in almost a decade a new case of polio was recorded in the United States. The case which ended in paralysis emphasizes the danger the region faces as vaccination levels drop to 30-year lows.
The World Health Organization warned in early July explained that vaccination in the region of the Americas and the rest of world was dropping rapidly because of various spin off effects precipitated by the Coronavirus Pandemic.
Over 65 million infants missed out on basic vaccines in the last three years thanks to disruptions in routine healthcare, lockdowns and other circumstances. The effects are already being felt as once eradicated disease like measles and polio are once again emerging.
The Pan American Health Organization announced earlier this year the Americas are now facing another measles outbreak after having been declared free of the disease in 2016.
Dr. Jarvis Barbosa, Assistant director of PAHO said vaccination levels are now as low as they were in 1994 for measles and polio and Brazil has had several outbreaks of measles.
In the case of the United States an unvaccinated young adult developed the disease after contact with another individual vaccinated with a live version of the vaccine.
The breakout polio case in the US sent shockwaves across the country because of the severe nature of the disease. Polio is an extremely dangerous disease with no known cure. It causes paralysis in as many as 1 in 200 infected and that paralysis is permanent.
Normally very few school age children would be at risk in the Americas as the vaccine is required to start school but with the gap in vaccinations many more children are now at risk.
Polio was one of the most feared diseases of the 20th century, paralyzing and killing hundreds of thousands, especially children. Thankfully vaccinated individuals are not at risk and as such the WHO is advising that the best way to protect against polio is vaccination.
Photo Caption: Child in Benin takes Polio vaccine, UNSDG
#Kansas, USA, August 5, 2022 – Voters in the state of Kansas have moved to uphold abortion rights in their state. Kansas legislators will now be prevented from putting restrictions or bans on abortion. In order to do so they would have to call for a constitutional review, a lengthy drawn out process.
“Kansans stood up for fundamental rights today. We rejected divisive legislation that jeopardized our economic future & put women’s health care access at risk,” Laura Kelly, Kansas’ Democratic Governor tweeted on Wednesday.
Kansas is the first state to put the issue on the state ballot since Roe v Wade the case making abortion a constitutional right was overturned at the Supreme Court level and US media
President Biden proclaimed his support for the bill encouraging congress to write Roe v Wade into law.
Roe v Wade was overturned on June 24, nearly 50 years after it was won.
August 5, 2022 – Exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months benefits the infant, mother, family, community, country and environment,” states Dr. Joy St. John, Executive Director at the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA). “Therefore, breastfeeding is recognised as an effective strategy in achieving regional and global goals on health, nutrition, food security, economic growth and environmental sustainability.
The World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) recommend that breastfeeding be initiated within 1 hour of birth, continued exclusively for the first 6 months of life, and that nutritionally-adequate and safe complementary (solid) foods be introduced at 6 months together with continued breastfeeding up to 2 years of age or beyond[1].
Early initiation of breastfeeding is critical to newborn survival, reducing their risk of morbidity and mortality[2]. Breastmilk provides optimal nutrition for infants for their physical and mental growth and development, along with antibodies to prevent and mitigate childhood illnesses[3].
Breastfeeding reduces the risk of over-nutrition (overweight and obesity) and non-communicable diseases (NCDs) for both mother and child. Infants that are breastfed longer, have 13% lower risk of overweight and obesity and 35% lower risk of type 2 diabetes[4]. Women who breastfeed have reduced risks of postpartum overweight and obesity, 32% lower risk of type 2 diabetes, 37% lower risk of ovarian cancer and 26% lower risk of breast cancer4.
In Latin America and the Caribbean, many infants and young children do not meet the WHO and UNICEF recommendations for breastfeeding and ultimately lose out on its many benefits. Only 54% of infants initiate breastfeeding within 1 hour of birth; 37% breastfeed exclusively for the first 6 months of life which is below the global rate (44%); and between 31%-55% of children continue to receive breastmilk up to 2 years of age2.
Breastfeeding, more so when occurring exclusively, allows for healthier mothers and children who can in turn contribute meaningfully to the community and society at large. There is a reduced tax burden on communities and governments to ensure children are properly fed. Additionally, more funding is made available for community and national development. Reports indicate that the total global economic losses of not breastfeeding are estimated to be US$341.3 billion[5].
Breastfeeding is a naturally renewable resource that is environmentally sustainable as it does not require the use of natural resources (not even water!), provides no waste for accumulation in landfills (no packaging or disposal), and it does not pollute the environment[6].
Breastfeeding also contributes to infant and household food security[7]. Infants who are breastfed exclusively, require no other source of nutrition and are less likely to get sick thereby lessening the financial burden on the family. This allows for nutritious foods to be bought for other members of the family. This is especially important during times of economic crises, such as those experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic, where many households face unemployment and loss of income. The pandemic has proven to be a global threat to breastfeeding. Two recent studies in Western countries reported a decline in early initiation, exclusive and continued breastfeeding rates due to the pandemic, with one major contributing factor being a loss in support for mothers[8],[9].
Breastfeeding is particularly effective against infectious diseases because it strengthens the immune system by transferring antibodies from the mother to the child. Mother to child transmission of SARS-CoV-2 through breastmilk has not been found to occur. The WHO and UNICEF recommendations on initiation and continuation of breastfeeding infants and young children also apply to mothers with suspected or confirmed coronavirus disease as the benefits far outweigh any potential risks[10]. Mothers with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 are encouraged to practice respiratory hygiene (wearing a mask when breastfeeding), hand hygiene (frequent hand washing, including before and after touching the baby), and routinely clean and disinfect surfaces[11]. If the mother is too unwell to breastfeed, she can be supported to feed expressed breastmilk or to relactate (re-introduce breastfeeding after a period of cessation).
This year’s theme for World Breastfeeding Week “Step up for Breastfeeding – Educate and Support” is aligned with thematic area 1 of the WBW-Sustainable Development Goals 2030 campaign which highlights the links between breastfeeding and good nutrition, food security and reduction of inequalities. It will focus on strengthening the capacity of actors that have to protect, promote and support breastfeeding across different levels of society.
We all form part of the warm chain of support of breastfeeding – whether we are from or represent governments, health systems, workplaces or communities – and have a shared responsibility to protect, promote and support breastfeeding. Let us all inform, anchor, engage and galvanise action to protect and support breastfeeding. A whole-of-society approach is needed to facilitate the development and implementation of regional breastfeeding policies and creating a breastfeeding-friendly environment.
This is in keeping with the Caribbean Public Health Agency’s (CARPHA) life course approach for the prevention of NCDs of which breastfeeding is a key factor. CARPHA supports breastfeeding as a long-term strategy for a more productive and healthier Region and encourages mothers and families to see breastfeeding as the optimal feeding method for infants.
CARPHA has led training in the WHO/UNICEF 40 Hour Breastfeeding Counselling Course; and training of Health Professionals in the 20-Hour Course for Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative as well as implementation and certification. The Agency has also supported Member States with the development of National Infant and Young Child Feeding Policies, Hospital Breastfeeding Policies and developed guidelines for anyone involved in the care and management of newborns, and pregnant or lactating women suspected of or confirmed to be infected with the COVID-19 virus.
CARPHA calls upon its member states to take a whole of society approach and implement and reinforce the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes and the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding. By protecting and supporting breastfeeding, we are also protecting human rights and taking important steps towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, leaving no one behind in the post pandemic world.