The Ministry of Health is working with local nursing homes and senior citizens homes to get them ready in the event of any disaster.
According to Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Joy St. John, the disaster preparedness and emergency planning workshop held at the Pan American Health Organisation yesterday morning, was intended to deepen their awareness of disaster preparedness and emergency planning, and to strengthen their capacity to respond appropriately.
“Today’s workshop will also seek to ensure that you, the owners and operators of nursing homes and senior citizens homes, develop the plans necessary that during and after these hazards, you have all that is necessary to keep yourself and the older persons in your care safe in the event of a hazard or disaster,” she said.
Her comments came as she noted that the past few years have been marred by major hazard impacts globally, including earthquakes, tsunamis, flooding and mudslides.
“In many of these countries, being hit by these natural disasters was a very harsh and sobering reality for a number of persons, who even to this day, are still psychologically recovering from the impact. Even after Tropical Storm Tomas in Barbados, some of us have adopted the attitude that God is a Bajan and consequently, little attention or focus is placed on preparedness or safety,” she lamented.
Noting the need to take the message of preparedness seriously, Dr, St. John said that the workshop has come at an appropriate time, as we are still early into the hurricane season.
“We have always affirmed that disaster preparedness and disaster risk management are the responsibilities of every individual, not solely the Government. It is for this reason that we must ensure that citizens are provided with the necessary tools to make effective, safe and wise decisions,” she added.
The Chief Medical Officer noted that at the end of the workshop each owner and operator is to be equipped with a disaster preparedness and emergency document developed specifically for the facility they operate. She told the participants that the plan should be shared with every staff member in their facilities and be operationalised, to ensure that they are well prepared in the event of a disaster. (JRT)
