Health
Problems in Health Care Delivery
#TurksandCaicos, September 1, 2022 – I am very concerned about the lack of clinical services being made available to our citizens at both the Cockburn Town hospital, Grand Turk, and the Cheshire Hall Hospital, Providenciales. And when I investigated what clinical services are accessible in Grand Turk, it is extremely far less than being offered at Cheshire Hall.
A number of patients have brought to my attention the difficulty in getting an appointment to be seen, and many
have expressed the feeling of being neglected. And as we all know that with health matters timing is everything. Early detection and early interventions almost always save lives and prevent future life-threatening complications.
During my time as Health Services Manager and before that as Laboratory Director, it had always been the target to have both Health Services locations properly equipped and staffed to tackle the citizens’ health needs. Both locations had identical equipment, and identical complement of staff, with a few variations in numbers. Grand Turk Location handled Salt Cay and South Caicos, and Providenciales location handled North and Middle Caicos.
When I was the Minister of Health, much progress was being made in the reestablishing of old community clinics, e.g.; the town clinic location in Grand Turk, and also returning Myrtle Rigby Health Complex location back to a health care facility for our people. The goal was, and still is, to have regular weekly specialist clinics with other needed services for all islands. Additionally, to have all community clinics equipped with basic laboratory testing abilities and imaging capabilities, i.e., blood electrolytes, red and white blood cell counts, glucose and cholesterol testing, blood nitrogen levels, urinalysis, and are equipped with portable x-ray abilities. These technologies reveal extremely important and timely information on a person’s health status.
We all have to demand more from our health services providers, demand more accessibility, demand more diagnostic competency, demand more high dependency units, demand the availability of Intensive care capability (ICU), demand more attracting and retaining highly skilled personnel, demand increasing salaries of our health personnel. Hence, our people need to demand a high-performing health care system, “A Good Health System.”
A Peoples’ Democratic Movement government will recommence the work of enhancing our Health system to one that we all can be truly proud of, one which we have the most trust and assurance in.
So, what is the “good” health system that the PDM wants to develop for our people? A good system will be one that is organized in a way to ensure timely access to the highest attainable standard of care to all its citizens; one that has the right programs managed by competent well-paid professionals; one in which clinics provide constant preventive and curative care for the most common conditions, and primary health care in facilities or in the community where people live. A good health system under a PDM Government would ensure that our on-island hospitals deliver high-quality secondary or tertiary levels of care to increase the likelihood of desired health outcomes.
A PDM government is committed to continuing the work we started of ensuring our health services are:
- Effective – providing evidence-based healthcare services to those who need them;
- Safe – avoiding harm to people for whom the care is intended; and
- People-centred – providing care that responds to individual preferences, needs and values.
To realize the benefits of quality health care, a PDM Government will also ensure that our health services are:
- Timely – reducing waiting times and sometimes harmful delays;
- Equitable – providing care that does not vary in quality on account of constituency/Island location, and socio-economic status, ethnicity;
- Integrated – providing care that makes available the full range of health services throughout the life course, i.e. from newborn to old age.
- Efficient – maximizing the benefit of available resources and avoiding waste.
From many personal testimonies from our citizens, it can be concluded that current health system is not serving our people well. We the PDM are confident that we can deliver the health care system that our citizens need and deserve.
Hon Edwin A. Astwood
Leader of The Opposition
Dana Malcolm
Staff Writer
In a first for the Turks and Caicos and one that some would describe as particularly important, over three dozen healthcare professionals were upskilled in emergency trauma care via Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) certification.
Trauma Care in emergency medicine usually refers to treating patients who are critically ill or have severe injuries and need to be quickly stabilized like gunshot wounds, damaged limbs, crush injuries, and stab wounds.
In 1976 following a plane crash involving a surgeon and his children who experienced substandard trauma care, the first ATLS course was created. It attempts to provide basic training for medical professionals when dealing with acute trauma cases where there is little staff on hand. In fact ATLS is supposed to work with as little as a single doctor and nurse team working together to stop the most critical injuries first, ensuring a better chance of survival.
This is particularly useful for the Turks and Caicos with its small hospitals and limited staff. Health officials admitted this, highlighting what they describe as ‘the pressing need for such training, particularly due to physician shortage, isolated communities in family islands and other barriers to accessing this critical training.’
Recognizing the need, the Hamilton Education Foundation jumped into action, and in collaboration with Massachusetts General Hospital and the American College of Surgeons conducted a Hybrid Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) Demo for 31 doctors in the Turks and Caicos Islands on May 22nd and 23rd, 2024.
Led by Professor Susan Briggs,the foundation describes the course as historic in that it’s the first-ever done outside the United States and says it is;“Crucial for enhancing the quality of healthcare delivery and saving lives in the face of increasing intentional and unintentional injuries.”
With the rise in gunshot injuries in the country, seen through police data since 2020 many residents might be inclined to agree.
While admitting it was difficult to measure if ATLS reduced mortality, a 2016 article published in the National Library of Medicine describes the courses as “very useful from an educational point of view. It significantly increased knowledge, and improved practical skills and the critical decision making process in managing multiple trauma patients”
Rufus Ewing, Former Premier and Executive Chairman of the Hamilton Education Foundation, said, “This initiative aligns with our mission to enhance medical education and improve access to quality healthcare services in the Turks and Caicos Islands.”
The training received broad brush support from the Ministry of Health, TCI Hospital and private sector.
Rashaed Esson
Staff Writer
#Argentina, April 15, 2024 – Argentina is currently facing a shortage in mosquito repellents, a severely unfortunate development for the nation as it is now fighting a surge in dengue cases, in-line with PAHO predictions that the region will face its worst dengue season on record.
The mosquito repellent shortage was reportedly noticed in March 2024 and Argentina, according to the Ministry of Health, recorded over 163,000 cases with deaths in all age groups, more common for those over 80 years old.
The situation is widespread across Argentina as indicated by supermarkets putting on display “no repellent” signs.
Places where repellents are still available, online spaces especially, are selling them at high prices.
As to the reason behind the shortage, BBC reports that it was told by one of the production companies (for repellents), that a forecast error was at fault and that manufacturing took months. Additionally, mirroring this, Mario Russo reports a supply and demand problem.
The Government is making efforts to have this sorted as soon as possible, but Argentinians, reports say, are not so hopeful as hundreds of thousands have already been infected.
Preventative measures such as repellents are crucial for Argeniniand who reply heavily on them, as they await the dengue vaccine which is already developed, but still In its early stages of distribution.
-
Caribbean News6 days agoBarbados welcomes new aircraft
-
News1 week agoYoung Junkanoo Player stuck in Grenada flown home on private jet by Government
-
Finance1 week agoE. Jay Saunders and Team spearhead landmark change in Public Financial Management; Budget ROLL-OVERS now approved
-
Crime1 week agoMales Charged with Firearm Offences
-
Health1 week agoDengue Update – Brace for Potential Worst Dengue Season
-
Crime1 week agoAvoid Credit Card Fraud, CIBC makes security changes
-
TCI News1 week agoFear that Horrible Airport Reviews damaging TCI Tourism
-
Africa1 week agoUN Sec Gen says Africans must be honoured, supports reparations