The original article can be found in: Trinidad Newsday By CECILY ASSON
IN AN effort to control the spread of the H1N1 (Swine Flu) virus, the South West Regional Health Authority (SWRHA) yesterday announced a fully reactivated plan instituted in 2009 by the Ministry of Health to deal with the problem.
SWRHA acting Chief Executive Officer Dr Shivand Gopeesingh told Newsday the decision was taken at an executive meeting which included all stakeholders. In 2009, a National Plan was established which called for every hospital to have its own micro plan and be guided by the national plan.
It also included health services being prepared with an operational response plan to the hospitals and the counties which will address the surge capacity that might build up during a pandemic scenario. Each hospital was also required to have a capacity of between 20-40 beds to deal specifically with the virus.
It also stated that there must be a trained qualified professional to manage the patient in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and high-dependency units and there must be an increase in the stock pile of personal protective equipment at hospitals, health centres and also nursing homes. Community health services were also expected to increase patient intake capacity.
“We met this morning and we have upgraded our plans and sensitised everybody. We also did an analysis and we are going to improve on the situation. We have identified areas, protocols for giving medication and reactivated the 2009 plan,” Gopeesingh said.
He again called for the population not to panic since “we are doing our best.” About the two patients confirmed to be suffering with the H1N1 virus, Gopeesingh said they remain warded at the Intensive Care Unit of the San Fernando General Hospital in “critical condition.”
The victims, one of them said to be in their mid-40s and the other in their 50s had other pre-existing health concerns which made them high risk patients, Gopeesingh said. He however noted there have been no new cases of Swine Flu.Dr Gopeesingh said he expects the Swine Flu vaccinations to be delivered to SWRHA “sometime this week.”
Meanwhile, health centres at various Regional Health Authorities have reported no increase of patients coming in for testing, or treatment of the Swine Flu (H1N1).
A health worker at one centre noted that, while the office was receiving numerous calls from persons wanting to know if the vaccine was available, not many persons were actually going to the centre requesting the shot.
A nurse at another centre noted that they screen several persons with flu symptoms per day, but it was “not more than the ordinary amount” for this time of year. She explained the nurses screen the patients, send them to the doctor and, if the doctor is concerned it may be Swine Flu, the patient is referred to the hospital to be treated. Only the Arouca Health Centre would admit to not having the vaccine at the moment. “People are aware of what is happening so it is quite normal that people would come for service,” was the only thing one employee would say.
On Sunday, Minister of Health, Fuad Khan stated 15,000 vaccines had been distributed to hospitals and health centres across the country, and that 60,000 vaccines had been ordered by his ministry.
