#Nassau, The Bahamas – April 7, 2020 — COVID-19 cases for The Bahamas have been steadily increasing and the Minister of Health, on Monday, said his team is bracing for a surge while suffering a severe loss in front line health care workers who are under quarantine.
“Among these confirmed
positive COVID-19 health care worker, two (2) have had to be hospitalized. What is more worrisome, is that more than
fifty (50) health care workers have been identified as contacts of
diagnosed/confirmed cases. These health care workers are currently in
quarantine, and are being monitored for the development of symptoms.
Clearly, if more health care
workers are removed from the available pool, there will be no soldiers left to
fight the COVID war. We must protect
our frontline workers. The best way to
do this is to stay at home!”
Minister, Dr. Duane Sands wants what officials
around the world want – for people to live through this pandemic by following
the protocols, though difficult.
“Currently, there are 23
cases in New Providence; 5 cases in Grand Bahama; and 1 case from Bimini. This equates to almost
one new case each day. If we continue on this path, our health care system will
be overwhelmed and unable to meet the demands.
Social and physical distancing and responsible handwashing are the two
mitigating actions that will help us to combat the strength of this virus,”
said the Minister during a presentation in the House of Assembly.
The nation learned that the People’s Republic
of China has donated 1,000 test kits and The Bahamas now has 10,000 rapid tests
which will mean wider screening at the community level.
“We are exploring the introduction of rapid
testing. The first step in the process requires in-country validation of the rapid
serological testing. Once this validation is completed, wider screening for
COVID-19 at the community level will commence. There are 10,000 rapid test kits
in-country.”
More challenging however, as the world
competes for the same products, is for The Bahamas to ensure the frontline
soldiers in Health Care are adequately outfitted for the battle.
“With this in mind, we are
aggressively exploring various ways and means to acquire more personal
protective equipment (PPE) inventory and other supplies. The global shortage of
PPEs and other needed supplies have resulted in supply chain disruptions. Many countries are holding on to their stock,
and others are coveting the stocks found in other countries. Hence, we must
manage our current supplies judiciously.
Our goal is to ensure that there is a consistent supply of PPEs to
frontline nurses, doctors and support staff.
With this equipment, they can provide the necessary care to individuals
presenting to and being admitted to health care facilities,” said Minister
Sands.
The Bahamas Ministry of
Health currently has: 1,000 boxes of
surgical masks; 43,995 of N95 masks; 2,418 surgeon gowns; 1,672
healthcare barrier gowns; 238 face
shields; 4,590 boxes of gloves; and 6,033+ PPE full kits, (masks, 2 gloves,
boot cover, head cover, face shield).
On Monday, Bahamas Prime
Minister, Dr. Hubert Minnis informed that the Public Hospitals Authority will
label their medical face masks, that government will purchase all of the
medical masks within the marketplace and soon to come is a ban on the sale of these
specialized items to the general public.
The Bahamas has over 29.5
million surgical masks and another 691,000 cloth masks according to the Health
Minister in his update. As for gloves, there
are nearly 270,000,000.
“The Ministry of Health will
continue to trump up efforts to ensure that our frontline health care workers
are provided with appropriate PPEs and training to minimize their level of
exposure to the COVID19 virus.”
The Bahamas, up to Monday
April 6 recorded 33 positives for COVID-19 and five deaths, including a medical
doctor.
Dr. Judson Eneas, 71, died
on Sunday April 5 as a result of contracting the coronavirus; one of five
medical care workers who had been infected in service to the public.
Magnetic Media is a Telly Award winning multi-media company specializing in creating compelling and socially uplifting TV and Radio broadcast programming as a means for advertising and public relations exposure for its clients.
The Bahamas’ economy is in good standing according to reports from the Bahamas National Statistical Institute which released the Quarterly Gross Domestic Product Series. They indicate that quarterly GDP trends for 2023 saw increases compared to 2022, a sign of recovery from the Covid 19 pandemic.
The most significant increase was 9.9 percent in the first quarter of 2023, and the industries responsible for the growth include Accommodations and food, construction and Arts.
World Relays to be title sponsored by BTC, one of C&W’s local brands.
In just a few days, athletes from over fifty countries will converge in The Bahamas for the BTC World Athletic Relays Bahamas 24. C&W Communications, the parent company of BTC, is proud to be associated with this major event, which will see athletes from The Bahamas, Barbados, Jamaica, and Trinidad & Tobago competing for a place in the upcoming Olympic games in Paris.
Inge Smidts, CEO of C&W Communications, who also serves as Chair of the BTC Board of Directors will be in the stands to witness the highly anticipated relays. Smidts says, this was an event that she simply could not miss. “We are proud to support our Caribbean athletes, and we wish them well as they vie for a spot in the Olympic games.
The relays will be held one of in our markets, The Bahamas, and we are honoured to be the title sponsor of the event. The world relays represent the spirit of relentless courage and the willingness to succeed of the Caribbean people and of our business. Through partnerships like this we demonstrate our unwavering commitment to connect communities and change lives.”
In addition to its sponsorship of the event, Smidts says it was important that athletes, officials, and fans stayed connected during the games. “As a business we are focused on ensuring that our customers have access to faster, stronger, and more reliable connectivity, and we worked with our partners to make certain that athletes and guests remain connected.
We have offered e-sim cards, and we also worked with the major hotels to set up care centers to ensure that we address any connectivity concerns on the spot. Additionally, I am pleased to announce that BTC will provide free Wi-Fi at the stadium giving patrons and athletes the opportunity to share every riveting moment.”
BTC has hosted a special event just for the Caribbean athletes, at the newly renovated Queen’s Staircase in Nassau, a recently renovated historic landmark visited by thousands of tourists each day. This event gave athletes the opportunity to unwind, mingle, and to learn more about each other right before the competition.
This is the fourth time that BTC and its parent company C&W Communications have title sponsored the world relays. The BTC World Athletic Relays will be held at the Thomas A. Robinson Track & Field Stadium from May 4-5, under the theme, “Chase the Sun, from Paradise to Paris.”
RBC Royal Bank (Bahamas) Limited (“RBC”) is pleased to announce the recent appointment of Kerryl-Lyn King-Henry as Country Manager and Area Vice President (“AVP”), Personal and Commercial Banking, Turks & Caicos Islands (TCI).
In her new role as Country Manager and AVP, King-Henry will take on full responsibility for the bank’s operations, strategy, and development in the TCI market, with a strong focus on solidifying partnerships with the Government, regulatory bodies, and the local community.
King-Henry brings to the role a dynamism influenced by nearly 25 years of industry experience. Prior to her new appointment, she served as AVP of Business Banking in Trinidad and Tobago. She has held progressively senior roles within both personal and commercial banking, as well as various functional units.
King-Henry holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree, with a specialization in Leadership, FinTech and Big Data Analysis, in addition to a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration. Further enriching her professional profile, Kerryl-Lyn is a certified John C. Maxwell Coach, Trainer, Teacher, and Speaker. Her passion for leadership and development is matched by her commitment to community service, as she actively volunteers her time and leverages her professional expertise to mentor and support others. “
Kerryl-Lyn’s extensive experience and proven leadership capabilities make her the perfect choice to lead our operations in the Turks & Caicos Islands,” said Ericka Rolle, RBC’s Managing Director and Vice President, Personal Banking, The Bahamas and TCI.
“Her commitment to excellence, combined with a genuine passion for community engagement, aligns perfectly with our Bank’s purpose of helping clients thrive and communities prosper. We are excited to see the positive impact she will undoubtedly bring to her new role,” she added.