Bajan docs want travel ban

By Caribbean Medical News Staff
The President of the Barbados Association of Medical Practitioners, Carlos Chase said he and his membership want the Enmore Ebola Isolation Centre re-positioned someplace remote and further wants Barbados to issue a travel ban on all travel originating in West Africa where the Ebola epidemic has killed over four thousand people.
Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, St. Lucia, Colombia and Jamaica have so far suspended all travel originating in West Africa until the Ebola epidemic is under control or eradicated.
According to reports not only is the BAMP up in arms but more recently parents and students at the St. Ursuline Convent School and its junior school St. Angela’s hosted a packed town hall meeting where emotions were charged and a man broke down and cried. That man encouraged those present to join him in filing an injunction against the Government for placing the isolation centre a stone’s throw away from the school, an urban centre and the island’s lone hospital as well as a polyclinic. A boisterous group of incensed parents at the Town Hall meeting supported his calls throughout the highly-charged meeting. The town Hall meeting was hosted by the Ministry of Health officials.
In addition, residents of the nearby Martindale’s Rd and other districts were also concerned about the centre being so close to the residents without “any consultation” of them whatsoever.
BAMP denounced the decision to place the isolation centre (which is almost complete) next to the school as well as on a compound for paediatric ear, nose and throat outpatient clinics. In addition Chase said the human resources department of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital was on the compound as well. Chase also said that he was also concerned that the hazmat suits and other PPE protection gear had not yet arrived on island.
BAMP ‘s communique suggested that “the open access and outright bad location of the current isolation centre where anyone can walk in” needed to be re-looked. Instead, BAMP suggested alternative locations like a hospital ship, St. Ann’s Fort or the now abandoned St. Joseph Hospital in Ashton Hall, St. Peter.
Meanwhile, the Hon. John Boyce had long said that there was no need to panic and that he would much appreciate the partnership and cooperation from Chase and his membership at BAMP.

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