If you or someone you know is struggling with a mental illness, experiencing emotional distress or harbouring thoughts of self-harm, a new 24-hour mental health hotline is officially here to help. 

Lifeline Barbados – 536-4500 – was officially launched Friday by the government to offer support for mental health issues.

Already, the helpline has received more than 300 calls since it began operating two months ago, revealing anxiety, depression, social issues, other personal matters, financial challenges, and thoughts of suicide among callers.

“The vast majority of the calls related to suicide ideation were categorised as low risk,” Minister of State in the Ministry of Health Davidson Ishmael told attendees at the helpline’s launch at the ministry’s Culloden Road offices. “What we found interesting and encouraging is that there were several calls from persons who simply wanted to speak to someone.”

Lifeline Barbados was established in collaboration with the Pan American Health Organisation/World Health Organisation (PAHO/WHO) with the goal of addressing the growing number of mental health challenges faced by Barbadians, particularly following the peak of the COVID pandemic, according to Ishmael.

In recent years, mental health has risen in importance for Barbadians, prompting the government to address the challenge, he said.

Ishmael said: “Barbadians would be acutely aware that we had a period of time in recent years where there was an unfortunate and undesirable spate of suicides which occurred within our island, and which captured the immediate attention of our government and varied stakeholders and partners within the mental health space. This captured attention quickly turned to robust planning, and that robust planning has led us to decisive action in the form of the creation of Lifeline Barbados.”

The hotline began operating “quietly” in February, operating from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. daily on two shifts, including holidays. Now, with help from the ministry’s partners, training for the hotline operators has been carried out, said the minister.

“The hotline is currently staffed by 15 persons, comprising the hotline manager, four supervisors, and ten hotline operators,” Ishmael said. “The operators who man the phones and interface with the caller will be responsible for providing general mental health information, emotional support and crisis intervention services. Accordingly, I can confirm that the entire hotline staff have been trained to perform their critical functions. With the support of our strategic partner PAHO/WHO, the ministry was able to engage the services of an international consultant to develop the standard operating procedures and to train the staff in the hotline in helpline crisis intervention techniques.”

The minister stressed that although the island’s suicide rate was well below the global average, suicide and self-harm were “fully recognised” as health issues prompting the need for the helpline.  

“Local health statistics show that on average, twice as many persons [have]sought out mental health services at our multiple polyclinics as compared to the pre-COVID years,” said Ishmael. 

“Lifeline Barbados has been established based on international best practice guidelines, and it is anticipated that it will further enhance our national response to mental health challenges, allowing for immediate and appropriate interventions and follow-up. Ultimately, the ministry’s objective is to ensure that all citizens have improved access to quality mental health services that meet their needs, without exposing them to any financial hardships or duress.”

The minister also assured that a complete restructuring of the country’s mental health framework was on the horizon.

(SB)

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Permanent Secretary (PS) in the Ministry of Health and Wellness Wayne Marshall said the programme which commenced in February saw a vehicle visiting communities providing healthcare services, including immunisation and health checks. The aim of the initiative, he said, is to ensure greater access to these services.

“So this intervention was very successful . . . and in March alone, there have been 14 outreach clinics [in] that mobile service and 383 Barbadians receiving these services.

“So, generally, I think that having started only in February and what we have recorded for March, this has been a phenomenal success – and I might add that it is nurse-driven. So I want to congratulate our nurses who have started this project,” Marshall told the congregation at Calvary Moravian Church, Roebuck Street, St Michae​​l on Sunday during a service to mark the launch of the 22nd Vaccination Week in the Americas.

The PS said polyclinics are also open on Saturdays — from February to May — to accommodate people who need to get their children immunised but “cannot afford to lose a day’s pay” to do so.

He said this was done as there has been an “alarming” decline in the immunisation rate in the country.

“Before COVID-19 of 2020, Barbados was one of the most outstanding among regional countries achieving and sustaining vaccination rates of more than 90 per cent on an annual basis. Subsequently, however, we have witnessed a measurable decline in our vaccination rates which are now estimated at only 85 per cent in 2023,” Marshall reported. “This decline is alarming because we recognise that vaccinations really extend lives and improve lives.”

Given that development, a study was conducted in collaboration with the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO), the World Health Organisation (WHO), the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Task Force on Global Health to understand and identify reasons for the decline in immunisation rates, he explained.

The findings, Marshall said, revealed an estimated 10 per cent defaulting rate of vaccination among children under five years of age – children who received one of the first three vaccines but did not return for the first and second booster shots.

The health ministry official said among the reasons for this were that people forgot their appointments, some were unaware when the vaccines were due, others could not attend the clinic as they could not afford to lose a day’s work, and there were others who questioned vaccine safety.

“So these results propelled an all-out response and campaign by the Ministry of Health and Wellness to address the reasons and therefore reverse the decline being experienced, hence the initiatives,” Marshall said, though stressing that the ministry is not resting on its laurels.

“We want to continue and focus on capturing defaulters and reversing the downward trend in vaccination coverage by also implementing a number of other community outreach activities. We at the ministry take vaccination very seriously and the decline has been of great concern to us because we know that the future of our citizens and the prosperity of the nation hinges primarily on our ability to protect our people, and that is something that we take seriously, as I said, and that is something that we will continue to do in this regard.”

The theme for this year’s Vaccination Week in the Americans is Engage Now to Protect Your Future.

“Our ministry’s goal is to create awareness about vaccines to people of all ages and, in doing so, increase vaccine acceptance and uptake. Once vaccinated, lives continue without interruption of vaccine-preventive diseases, leading to healthy, longer and more productive lives,” said Marshall.

This year, he disclosed, there will be activities geared towards following goals, narrowing and eventually closing the existing immunisation gap, reaching and maintaining the targeted 95 per cent of vaccine coverage within the under-five population, maintaining vaccines and immunisations as priorities on the political agenda, and reassuring the population of the effectiveness, safety and benefits of vaccines and immunisations.

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Barbados has a low immunisation rate making thousands of residents susceptible to many vaccine-preventable diseases, says senior health sister Hazel Forde.

She said this was a major concern, especially in the wake of the island hosting the International Cricket Council Men’s T20 World Cup in June, which is expected to attract more than 20 000 visitors to the island.

She was speaking to Barbados TODAY on Saturday during a health fair and exhibition organised by the Ministry of Health, held at Massy Supermarket in Warrens.

“Herd immunity means that enough people are vaccinated to protect the unvaccinated and the vulnerable — the ones that could not be vaccinated for one reason or another, either because of their age or because of their immune system. For that to occur, you need 95 per cent coverage for most diseases. And based on our current coverage, we are in the high 80s.

“So, we are facing challenges with low immunisation coverage, which means that we are susceptible to vaccine-preventable diseases like measles and whooping cough, things that we thought were gone a long time ago; and they are re-emerging in our tourism source markets — the United States, Canada and Europe. We have the World Cup coming up and we are going to have a lot more tourists, so there is increased risk,” she said, adding that the Ministry of Health was putting measures in place, such as the health fair, to help stave off those vaccine preventable diseases.

At the health fair, interested people also got the opportunity to get their blood sugar and pressure taken and blood work done to test cholesterol levels and kidney and liver health. (Photo by Sheria Brathwaite)

Forde explained that since the advent of COVID-19 there was a surge in the anti-vaccination movement and this was the main reason the island’s immunisation rate was low.

“During COVID-19, we did have a lot of anti-vaccine sentiment and that has transferred from the COVID-19 vaccine to vaccines in general and the childhood vaccines. The anti vaxxers are much more prominent.

They are very vocal, and people, before looking into all the facts, are hooking on to their words. Plus, there’s a lot of distrust as well for health care, so that has contributed to the low coverage.”

At the health fair, there were several adult vaccines on offer such as hepatitis B and the flu shot. All of the children’s vaccines were also available such as measles, mumps and rubella, tetanus and polio.

Interested people also got the opportunity to get their blood sugar and pressure taken and blood work done to test cholesterol levels and kidney and liver health.

There was also a sexual education and reproductive system booth, where men and women got the opportunity to learn more about their reproductive organs and how to practise safe sex. (SZB)

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The Vector Control Unit will focus on the parish of Christ Church when it carries out its fogging exercise this week.

The districts of Maxwell Hill Road, Cane Vale Road, Maxwell Terrace, Maxwell Gardens, Mahogany Gardens, Moravian Gardens, Fair Holmes Gardens, Hythe Gardens, and Ashby Avenue will be fogged on Monday, April 22.

The next day, Tuesday, April 23, the team will spray Graeme Hall Terrace, Graeme Hall Park Road, and Goodwood Drive.

On Wednesday, April 24, St Lawrence Gap, Paradise Village Road, Bath Village Road, Dover Avenues, Dover Gardens, Maxwell Coast Road, Oistins, and surrounding areas will be targeted.

The fogging team will visit Scarborough, Pegwell Road, Church Hill Main Road, Church Road, Evergreen Road, and Windy Ridge on Thursday, April 25.

The fogging exercise for the week will conclude on Friday, April 26, in Windy Ridge, Thornbury Hill, and neighbouring districts.

Fogging takes place from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. daily. Householders are reminded to open their windows and doors to allow the spray to enter. Children should not be allowed to play in the spray.

Members of the public are advised that the completion of scheduled fogging activities may be affected by events beyond the Unit’s control. In such circumstances, the Unit will return to communities affected in the soonest possible time.

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Health officials in the United States have raised alarms about a sharp rise in cases of measles, a highly infectious viral illness that spreads through the air and can cause serious complications or even death. During the first quarter of this year alone, there have already been approximately 30 per cent of the total measles cases reported since 2020. Medical experts view this sudden surge as a significant setback to efforts aimed at eliminating measles from the US.

But in a bid to console residents here, Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Arthur Phillips said on Thursday that Barbados has maintained its measles elimination status up to 2023.

“There have been no confirmed cases of measles in Barbados in the 21st century thus far. The last confirmed case of measles in Barbados was in 1991,” Dr Phillips told Barbados TODAY.

“There is an annual verification process to certify the elimination of measles in countries, and this includes the ability of the country to demonstrate that there is a strong epidemiological surveillance system in place, which Barbados has consistently demonstrated.”

Turning his attention to measles prevention, he said Barbados, like other countries, had seen a decline in measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine coverage in 2020, associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. But he said the trend had rebounded, although not to the ideal levels.

Dr Phillips said: “In 2022 and 2023, there was a steady reversal of the declining trend in coverage. For 2022, the MMR coverage for the first dose was 85 per cent and the MMR coverage for the second dose was 73 per cent. At the end of 2023, the MMR coverage for the first dose was 90 per cent and the MMR coverage for the second dose was 76 per cent,” he revealed. “Two doses of MMR vaccine are needed to ensure maximum protection against measles and overall, the coverage is well below the targeted 95 per cent.”

Dr Phillips explained that one dose of MMR vaccine is 93 per cent effective at preventing measles, and two doses are 97 per cent effective. The MMR vaccine’s first dose is usually administered at age one and the second dose at 18 months.

The senior medical official pointed out that the immunisation programme has historically performed “very well” and has maintained routine vaccination, including MMR vaccine coverage at “reasonably high levels”.

“This success,” Dr Phillips contended, “has led to good population immunity and now unfortunately to some complacency within the population.”

He said that interventions aimed at improving MMR coverage include new and ongoing activities supervised by the Senior Health Sisters in the various polyclinics.

These activities include reviewing vaccine registers to identify children that have defaulted from vaccination so that their parents can be called, and appointments scheduled for vaccination at the polyclinic. They also involve visits to nurseries and daycare facilities by public health nurses to check vaccination cards and alert parents of children who are missing vaccines through written notices. That activity was started in February and is ongoing, Dr Phillips said.

MMR vaccine coverage was also tackled by the opening of several clinics on Saturdays during March and is aimed at continuing throughout the year.

Dr Phillips announced that MMR immunisation was also being taken to the community to vaccinate eligible children who missed their shots in 2020 through 2023.

“This includes introduction of the new mobile bus recently commenced to facilitate the delivery of health interventions more directly within communities around Barbados,” he said.

Barbados will also be taking part in Vaccine Week of the Americas which runs from April 20-27, and features health fairs and exhibitions and open days at polyclinics. The week begins with two health fairs on Saturday the Emerald City Complex, Six Roads St Philip, and Massy Supermarket and Shopping Complex, Warrens, St Michael.

In the US, from 2020 through 2023, there was an average of five measles cases in the first quarter of each year. Those low numbers were due, in part, to the COVID pandemic, when fewer people were interacting in person. By contrast, this year’s first-quarter tally was 97, according to a report the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released Thursday.

“The rapid increase in the number of reported measles cases during the first quarter of 2024 represents a renewed threat to elimination,” the authors wrote.

Measles has been considered eliminated in the US since 2000, meaning the disease is no longer constantly present, though there are still occasional outbreaks there.

emmanueljoseph@barbadostoday.bb

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Minister of State in the Ministry of Health and Wellness, Davidson Ishmael, officially opened the facility on Wednesday, stating that it was also open to members of the public for a nominal fee.

“I want that as soon as we cut this ribbon that people can actually start utilising the space. It may not be a Surfside gym, but it is still a premium facility and of very high quality in terms of equipment, infrastructure and space.

“As we have invested . . . in you [the staff] and your wellbeing, I want to encourage every member of the Psychiatric Hospital team and those at the rest of the healthcare facilities, in addition to the public of Barbados to make good use of this space,” Ishmael said.

The minister added that if “we are going to be talking about health and wellness as a Ministry of Health and Wellness, we have to make sure that we’re providing as many avenues and opportunities for our staff or team members to be at their optimum”.

“Part of being at your optimum is being able to have access to healthcare facilities and also gym facilities that would allow you to be able to function at your best. We believe that everyone has a right to good healthcare, mental health as you guys are part of this whole mental health system and infrastructure that we have placed in Barbados to be able to provide this service to our people. We understand that you, too, have to be at your best level and at your best quality of mental healthcare . . . ,” he said.

Ishmael explained that the reopening of the facility was another prong in government’s efforts to ensure that the island’s healthcare service providers are given access to spaces that would allow them to be at their best.

“Therefore, you can then provide that service, that excellent service that you’re already doing [and] continue to provide that excellent service to the patients who are here at the hospital as well.”

He urged members of the public to utilise the facilities which will be made accessible to them at a “minimal” fee.

“We want persons to be able to come into the actual environment of the Psychiatric Hospital, understanding that this is a safe space. It is a safe space, just like any other space in Barbados, and we therefore want people to be able to traverse through understanding that they can come to this gym.

“They can exercise within the environs of persons who are seeking assistance and seeking care, but this is not a place that they can run from or should run from, but this is a place where we can embrace holistically as a society,” Ishmael said. (BGIS/FW)

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The Barbados Drug Service (BDS) has advised that persons should expect

increased wait times at some polyclinic pharmacies, until further notice, due to the implementation of a new Pharmacy Management System.

These include the pharmacies at the Winston Scott Polyclinic, David

Thompson Health and Social Services Complex, St Joseph Out-Patients Clinic, and the St Andrew Out-Patients Clinic.

The new system is expected to result in an improvement in patient records

management, treatment, and pharmaceutical health care and safety.

Management of the BDS regrets any inconvenience this temporary increase in wait times may cause and encourages members of the public to arrange their business accordingly. (BGIS)

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A number of communities in St Michael and Christ Church will be fogged by the Ministry of Health and Wellness’ Vector Control Unit this week.

The Unit will begin its fogging exercise on Monday, April 15, in the following St Michael districts: Brittons New Road, Rolling Road, Taitts Road, Eastmond Road, Gunsite Road, Bonnetts Housing Area, and surrounding districts.

It will then visit Thomas Road, Club Morgan Road with avenues, Plantain Walk, Clapham Drive, Simmons Road, and Rendezvous High Ridge with avenues, on Tuesday, April 16.

On Wednesday, April 17, the team will spray Fordes Road with avenues, Clapham Heights, Clapham Road, Clapham Park, Adam’s Road, Observatory Road, Clapham Ridge, Laynes Road, Clapham Close, and neighbouring districts.

The next day, Thursday, April 18, the Unit will go into Christ Church to fog Rendezvous Road, Rendezvous Ridge, Rendezvous Garden, Amity Lodge, Worthing Main Road, Bamboo Road, Craigg Road, Beckles Road, and Harmony Hall with avenues.

The fogging exercise for the week will conclude on Friday, April 19, in St Michael in Bridge Gap, Upper Goodland, Gills Gap and avenues, Browns Gap, Alkins Road, Wilkinson Road, Richmond Gap, Thomas Gap, and Lower Richmond Gap.

Fogging takes place from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. daily. Householders are reminded to open their windows and doors to allow the spray to enter. Children should not be allowed to play in the fog.

Members of the public are advised that the completion of scheduled fogging activities may be affected by events beyond the Unit’s control. In such circumstances, the Unit will return to communities affected in the soonest possible time.

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In its most recent update, the Ministry of Health and Wellness stated that since the outbreak began in October 2023, four deaths have been recorded. It added that a number of people were referred to hospital with warning signs and some were hospitalised with severe dengue.

The predominant serotype identified has been type 2, followed by type 3. 

Up to the week ending April 6, 2024, there were 2 915 clinically suspected, and 1 059 laboratory confirmed cases of dengue fever in Barbados. This compares to the same period in 2023, when there were only 158 suspected cases, and 105 confirmed cases. 

The ministry reported that the current outbreak peaked in January, this year, and continued to decline in March. Although lower than February, numbers are still above the outbreak threshold for March. 

Health authorities have advised members of the public to implement measures to avoid contracting the illness, such as using repellent and wearing protective clothing; eliminating breeding sites by keeping their surroundings clean; and using protective window and door screens as well as mosquito nets, at home.

Furthermore, the Ministry of Health and Wellness disclosed that there has been an increase in gastroenteritis cases in the past two weeks, in persons five years and older. It stated that this may be due to more people eating food which is prepared outside of the home. However, cases in children under five years old have not surpassed the threshold of the expected number during this time period. 

“Persons choosing to purchase ready-prepared food are encouraged to check for cleanliness and tidiness of the establishment, including the presence of handwashing facilities if the vendor is itinerant or at a wayside stall.  Patrons are reminded to wash or sanitise their hands prior to eating, after coughing or sneezing into tissues, and after using the toilet facilities,” the health ministry stated.

The public is reminded that hot foods are to be served hot, at 140 degrees Fahrenheit or higher, and cold foods should be at 40 degrees Fahrenheit and below. Additionally, cooked and uncooked foods should always be separated.

As for respiratory cases, reports indicate that there was an increase in cases in persons five years and older up to April 6, this year, but levels in children under five years old continue to be low from the beginning of the year.

Influenza and other cough and cold viruses not confirmed may be contributing to the increase, the ministry said. COVID-19 infections remain very low, with no deaths recorded within the last month.

Health authorities encouraged Barbadians to practise stringent respiratory hygiene with use of hand washing, hand sanitising and mask wearing by those with symptoms or those vulnerable to severe disease. (BGIS)

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The designation, initially announced in October 2023, was celebrated on Monday in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO), the Caribbean’s WHO regional office.

The laboratory, which opened in 2018, has been playing a critical role in the COVID-19 pandemic response. One of the first Caribbean labs to acquire test kits and reagents for COVID-19 detection, it has processed over 800 000 COVID-19 tests in the last three years. It also features programmes for global salmonella and influenza surveillance, HIV/Sexually Transmitted Infections examinations, and water and air quality monitoring.

PAHO’s representative for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, Dr Amalia Del Riego, said the lab’s new role will help Barbados better understand the flu, track its changes, and protect the population through more effective vaccines and treatment.

He said: “The laboratory is recognised for its highest standards and its ability to perform specialised diagnostics, contribute to global flu surveillance and provide critical data that helps in the fight against influenza and pandemic.”

Minister of State in the Ministry of Health Davidson Ishmael highlighted Barbados’ longstanding commitment to excellence in flu testing, calling the recognition “a culmination of years of hard work, perseverance, and collaboration, not just in relation to influenza but to public health on a whole”.

“As the Ministry of Health and Wellness expands its capacity to monitor non-communicable diseases, including and arguably chief of which is cancer, surveillance and enhanced diagnostics will be key to addressing early detection and monitoring,” he added.

Prime Minister Mia Mottley expressed gratitude to all involved and underscored the importance of national investment in healthcare infrastructure, emphasising the laboratory’s capability to uphold standards worthy of global recognition.

The Best-dos Santos Public Health Laboratory at Enmore is named in honour of two former health experts who pioneered the development of Barbadian laboratory services and technologies – senior laboratory technologist Cecil Best and senior consultant pathologist Wilfred dos Santos. (SM)

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