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News : Bahamas Information Services Updates Last Updated: Aug 15, 2020 - 12:07:11 PM


Healthcare workers volunteering their services on the frontline since the beginning of the fight against COVID-19
By Llonella Gilbert
Aug 14, 2020 - 10:04:11 PM

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NASSAU, The Bahamas – Minister of Health the Hon. Renward Wells explained that since The Bahamas saw its first cases of COVID-19, many healthcare workers volunteered their services on the frontline.

“They found themselves pressing through new thresholds and overcoming adversities they never thought they would face,” Minister Wells stated at a COVID-19 Update press conference at the Ministry of Health on Friday, August 14, 2020.

“This time last year, none of us would have foreshadowed that we would be in this position today.”

The Health Minister said that he was advised that for healthcare workers old enough to have practiced at the time, the current situation is reminiscent of the early 1980s when HIV/AIDS was first diagnosed in The Bahamas.

“While the modes of transmission differ, COVID-19 requires the same all-in approach. This second wave of infection clarifies the point that the whole health team is required to participate in order to effectively manage this pandemic.”

 

He noted that when compared to the first, this wave has greater numbers and hence more hospitalized patients. This state of affairs means that the number of healthcare workers who made themselves available during the first wave of the pandemic is no longer sufficient to cover the larger volume of hospitalized patients that is seen in this second wave.

Minister Wells stated that a real concern is the growing exposure to COVID-19 amongst professionals and patients in healthcare facilities in The Bahamas. “While the trend is consistent with COVID-19 spread worldwide in healthcare facilities, our human resource pool is not infinite – not vast.

 

“Since many of these healthcare workers were exposed and are currently in quarantine, those remaining are at very high risk for burnout and teams are working short of members.”

 

He said this was the reason for the MOH Permanent Secretary’s communication this week to all agencies within the Ministry.

Minister Wells said, “It applies to all workers within Health in accordance with Section 5 (2) of the Emergency Powers (COVID-19 Pandemic) (Lockdown) Order, 2020, dated 4th August 2020.

“This request was tempered with an option of working remotely at home, especially, if co-morbidities are present with a medical certificate.”

He assured all healthcare workers that the Government is conscious of the fears expressed in respect of COVID-19.

Hence, the Health Minister explained that no efforts have been spared to ensure the safety of its employees through –

  •     training;
  •     increased and consistent stock of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to staff across all of our facilities throughout the country;
  •     increased sanitization frequency of the healthcare facilities; and
  •     re-routing of general hospital traffic to maintain distancing between non-COVID-19 patients and those suspected of being positive for COVID-19.

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