By Dana Malcolm

Staff Writer 

#TurksandCaicos, June 5, 2023 – The Turks and Caicos has recorded its first case of cholera.  The update came from the Ministry of Health and Human Services on Monday June 5th.

The positive result came from a stool sample sent from the Cheshire Hall Medical Centre.

The case appears to be an imported one as the individual had recently travelled to Haiti which is struggling to deal with a major outbreak of the disease.

Beset with vomiting, diarrhea and dehydration, the person was tested for the viral illness.

Cholera is spread through contact with the feces of an infected person.  This can occur when sewage isn’t treated properly and comes in contact with drinking water, or where sources of water are not properly treated.  Drinking or eating food prepared with contaminated water can cause the disease to spread.

The US National Library of Medicine says If left untreated, cholera has a 25-50% mortality rate.  Treatment reduces this dramatically to less than 1%.

Minister of Immigration Arlington Musgrove had told Magnetic Media that the Department of Immigration had implemented a new system to check for cholera infections which had also been in use for any irregular migrants from Haiti.

The National Security Council, NSC had also instructed the Ministry of Health to secure a cache of cholera vaccines for the country’s protection should they become necessary.

Shaun Malcolm, Minister of Health and Human Services today said, “The TCI’s National Cholera Preparedness and Response Plan was updated with stakeholder involvement in 2022 and a number of training sessions were undertaken for frontline workers on Infection Prevention.”

There was no mention, however, of whether the Turks and Caicos Islands was able to secure the vaccines recommended for stockpiling by the NSC.

What was asked of residents is that they “seek medical treatment immediately if they suspect they or their family members are infected.”

The patient is now in stable condition and responding to treatment, informed the Health notice.

The government has sent the sample off to the Caribbean Public Health Agency, CARPHA to determine which strain of the virus is present.

#TurksandCaicos, June 2, 2023 – The Ministry of Physical Planning and Infrastructure Development in collaboration with the Water Undertaking, Ministry of Home Affairs would like to advise the Public of the closure on the intersection of Airport Road and Osbourne Road area as part of the on-going Pipe Laying project on Grand Turk. The works are expected to last not exceeding 24 hours. The road will be closed for traffic during the period of June 03, 2023 from 7:00 Am to 7:00 PM.

Alternative re-route:

• Vehicles heading North bound, turn right to Osbourne and turn Left to Barrack Hill Road.
• Vehicles heading South bound, turn right to Ponce de Leon Street and turn left to Palm Grove Drive

TRAFFIC CONTROL PLAN

҉NOTICE OF ROAD CLOSURE TO FACILITATE INFRASTRUCTURE WORKS ON SATURDAY 3RD OF JUNE 2023 FROM 7AM TO 7PM PROJECT: UPGRADING OF WATER DISTIBUTION FACILITIES IN GRAND TURK TR 21/55 C

FROM THE MINISTRY OF PHYSICAL PLANNING 

AND INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT  

#TheBahamas, June 2, 2023 – Director-General of the World Health Assembly Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus today commended The Bahamas on completing an ambitious agenda at the 76^th World Health Assembly held in Geneva, Switzerland May 18^th – 30^th. Dr. Tedros who entertained a courtesy call meeting with the Minister of Health & Wellness Dr. the Honourable Michael R. Darville and select members of the Bahamas delegation described the meeting as “excellent”. He expressed his positive interest in the Bahamas’ commitment to ‘beating NCD’s’ through taxing sugary products and eliminating trans fats.

The Director-General was also keen to learn more about the recruitment of nurses and other healthcare workers by larger more financially resourced countries and its impact on the delivery of health care in the country. He agreed that more resources need to be earmarked for investing in training health workforces to address the global shortage.

For his part, Minister Darville also apprised the Director-General on the path for the full implementation of a digital health system in The Bahamas and reiterated the need for SIDS (Small Island Developing States) to have greater access to funding as they balance the realities of significant migration of healthcare workers; many of whom are being reaped even more as a result of the pandemic.

Dr. Tedros thanked The Bahamas for its continued partnership and agreed that it was time to take the WHO partnership with The Bahamas to the next level. He recalled that The Bahamas was one of the last countries he visited before the global COVID-19 pandemic resulted in travel restrictions. He commented on the devastation of Hurricane Dorian contrasted with the beauty of the country. Dr. Tedros offered that he was looking forward to meeting with and having further discussions with Minister Darville and his team during the upcoming SIDS and NCDs meeting scheduled for mid-June 2023 in Bridgetown, Barbados.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the Minister of Health & Wellness pinned Dr. Tedros with a Bahamas’ 50^th Anniversary of Independence pin and presented him other Bahamas Independence memorabilia. Dr. Tedros called it a wonderful, shared moment as the WHO is also celebrating its 75^th Anniversary.

Joining Minister Darville was Dr, Pearl McMillan, Chief Medical Officer – Ministry of Health & Wellness, Dr. Aubynette Rolle, Managing Director, Public Hospitals Authority and Dr. Phillip Swann, Registrar – Ministry of Health & Wellness.

Release: Ministry of Health & Wellness