Mosquito breeding sites in St Michael and Christ Church will be targeted by the Vector Control Unit this week.

The team will concentrate its efforts in St Michael for the first three days of the week. On Monday the Unit will visit Hindsbury Road, Tudor Bridge, Dr Kerr Land, Mottley Land, Prescod Bottom, Brathwaite Road, Progressive Road, Field Gap, Country Road, and Laundry Road.

The next day it will be the turn of 2nd Avenue Mannings Land, Peterkins Road, Bamboo Gap, Eagle Hall, Barbarees Hill, Monteith Gardens, Strathclyde, and surrounding areas.

On Wednesday the following districts will be sprayed: Mansion Road, Bank Hall Cross Road, Prince of Wales, Queen Mary Road, King George Road, King Edward Road, Queen Victoria Road, Buckingham Road, 2nd Avenue Sealy Land, Gilkes Road, Powder Road, and Happy Cot.

The Unit will then go into some Christ Church communities on Thursday. They are Fort George Heights, South Ridge, Upton Terrace, Kent Ridge, Little Kent, The Grove, St. David’s, Edey Village, and Staple Grove.

The fogging exercise for the week will conclude in St Michael, on Friday when the Unit goes into Station Hill, Powder Road, Savannah Road, 1st to 3rd Avenue Station Hill, Leinster Road, Waterford, Trainmore Lane, Longford Place,1st to 5th Avenue Park Road and the environs.

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. (PR)

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Chief Operating Officer of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) Dr Christina Grenidge is expecting major improvements at the healthcare institution as it prepares to welcome significant staffing enhancements aimed at boosting efficiency and improving patient care.

The strategic additions include the roles of patient safety officers, a service improvement manager, nurse practitioners and clinical nurse specialists.

Greenidge detailed the transformative potential these roles are expected to bring to the hospital. Particularly, the introduction of nurse practitioners is seen as a pivotal move to enhance service delivery in critical areas such as outpatient clinics and emergency rooms.

“They can work in two very important areas of the hospital — outpatient clinics and the emergency room,” Greenidge told The Pulse radio shown earlier this week. She emphasised the need for clear guidelines on their scope of practice within Barbados, noting their established effectiveness in other health systems like in the United States, where they prescribe medications and manage patient care plans in collaboration with physicians.

“Nurse practitioners have made a difference in primary care, helping patients with chronic conditions live healthier lives. They will undoubtedly play an integral role here at QEH,” she stressed.

Moreover, the role of patient safety officers is highlighted as crucial in maintaining and elevating safety standards within the hospital. These specialists will be tasked with overseeing all aspects of patient safety, from monitoring wait times to ensuring compliance with medical care plans.

“Patient safety is at the core of quality healthcare management. These officers will play a key role in monitoring and ensuring adherence to safety protocols, which is vital for patient outcomes,” stated Greenidge, herself a certified patient safety officer.

This staffing overhaul is part of a broader initiative to address the pressing healthcare professional shortage that is not only a local but a global issue, affecting many countries including the United States and Canada. To this end, the Barbados government plans to create 142 new registered nurse positions over the next two years and is looking to recruit internationally, including from Ghana.

The comprehensive plan to reform the nation’s healthcare system was announced by Prime Minister Mia Mottley at a recent Barbados Labour Party meeting at the St Christopher School in Christ Church South.

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A shocking discovery in Christ Church has left sanitation officials fuming. On Thursday, a dead pig was found dumped in a public waste bin in Silver Sands, prompting a stern rebuke from the Sanitation Service Authority (SSA).

“Cut it out,” declared Carl Padmore, public relations officer for the SSA, in response to the incident. He described the situation as “quite disturbing” and “extremely disrespectful”.

The carcass was discovered after a concerned resident alerted the authorities. While smaller animals have become a common sight in bins, this marks a disturbing escalation, according to Padmore.

“We have seen things like chickens already, we would have seen things like animal faeces, but to see this here is extremely disturbing. It shows a lack of respect,” Padmore told Barbados TODAY. “This is the biggest of the animals we have seen thus far, and this is taking disgust to a very high level.”

The SSA spokesman emphasised that proper channels exist for the disposal of dead animals, including a dedicated SSA hotline and services provided by the Ministry of Health. The matter has been reported to both the police and health authorities, and Padmore hopes for swift action against the perpetrator.

“We are going to go all out to investigate this matter, and we are hoping that the guilty person can be dealt with,” he said. “Now, we are not the law, we are not the Ministry of Health, but we will do all in our power to provide them with the necessary information, and if there is a possibility of any type of action, the SSA will support that because this really has gone too far and we can’t tolerate this.”

This latest incident highlights an ongoing issue faced by sanitation workers. Padmore revealed that employees regularly complain about foul odours emanating from bins, suspecting animal remains. In some cases, even human waste has been discovered.

“The workers are annoyed and they have a right to be, when this type of action is happening,” Padmore said. “These are humans removing your waste, and they should be treated with a high level of respect.”

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The Vector Control Unit will conduct its fogging programme in several Christ Church and St George districts this week, in its fight against mosquito-borne illnesses.

On Monday the team will spray Briar Hall Gardens Nos 1 to 3, Warners Terrace, Warners Park, Warners Park North, Vauxhall No 2, Vauxhall Gardens, Barracks Road, and surrounding areas.

The following day the Unit will target Adams Castle, Vauxhall, Sheraton Park, Elizabeth Park, and Regency Park.

It will be turn of Bartletts Tenantry, Sargeant’s Village, Browne’s Road, Garners Garden, Warners Garden, and Tino Terrace on Wednesday.

On Thursday Fort George Heights, South Ridge, Upton Terrace, Kent Ridge, Little Kent, The Grove, St David’s, and Staple Grove will be fogged.

The fogging exercise for the week will conclude in St George and Christ Church, on Friday in Hanson Crescent Drive, South District, Watts Village, Boarded Hall, Lower Greys, Dayrells Hill, Valley Vista, and Frere Pilgrim.

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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The initiative, unveiled on Friday, aims to provide a structured yet supportive work environment where patients can receive training in various vocational skills, paving the way for their reintegration into society.

The project, designed to offer a structured yet supportive work environment for individuals with mental health challenges, will focus on skills such as carpentry, joinery, woodworking, furniture making, cabinetry, and furniture repair and refurbishment.

Maureen Graham, chairperson of the Legacy Foundation’s board of trustees, described the workshop as “a haven of opportunity” for hospital patients, and a critical component of the psychiatric hospital’s inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation programme.

“We believe that investing in such programmes is not just an act of charity, but rather a fundamental responsibility,”
Graham told the brief ceremony to launch the initiative. “By modernising, retooling, and upgrading this workshop, we aim to create an environment where participants can develop skills, build confidence, and take meaningful steps towards reintegrating into society.”

David Leacock, director of the hospital, emphasised the crucial role of sheltered workshops in the recovery process, stating that they were a stepping stone on the journey to recovery for those with mental health challenges and disabilities. Leacock added that the workshops also allowed these individuals to rediscover their strengths and experience the dignity that comes with making a contribution to society.

“These workshops are not merely places of employment, they are a sanctuary for empowerment and transformation,” the hospital director said.

The Minister of State in the Ministry of Health and Wellness, Davidson Ishmael, suggested that the initiative was a perfect example of the power of partnership. Collaborative efforts such as these, Ishmael said, were essential in helping vulnerable people. (SB)

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This advanced technology promises to revolutionise cancer treatment, offering patients more precise, effective, and potentially life-saving care, according to Paula Agbowu, the hospital’s director of engineering services.

“Coming up is the acquisition of a linear accelerator machine that will be used to help treat some of our oncology cases,” Christine Greenidge, the hospital’s chief operating officer, said during this week’s Pulse Radio programme.

The new linear accelerator, expected to be operational by year’s end, represents a significant upgrade from the hospital’s current cobalt-based technology. It will enable oncologists to deliver highly targeted radiation therapy, potentially improving outcomes and reducing side effects for cancer patients, according to Agbowu.

The director of engineering services highlighted the transformative impact this acquisition will have on patient care.

“The actual linear accelerator will mean that the kind of treatment that we will be able to afford our patients will be much more enhanced than the treatment that we had before,” she stated. “This is an upgrade and a step up from what we had in place before.”

The installation of this sophisticated equipment is part of a broader £130 million investment in the hospital’s infrastructure and technology. This substantial funding, announced earlier this year by the Ministry of Health, underscores the government’s commitment to enhancing healthcare services across the island. The first tranche of funding is expected to be released in the coming weeks, Agbowu revealed.

The hospital is undertaking comprehensive infrastructure improvements, including modifications to the treatment bunker, electrical systems, and IT infrastructure. Crucially, the QEH is investing in its staff to ensure they can maximise the potential of this new technology. Physicists, radiographers, and oncologists are already engaged in intensive training programmes to familiarise themselves with the linear accelerator’s advanced capabilities.

Meanwhile, the QEH is undertaking an ambitious initiative to transform healthcare delivery, making it more accessible and efficient for patients.

At the heart of this overhaul is an expansion of telehealth services, allowing remote monitoring of patients with chronic conditions such as congestive heart failure. This innovative approach enables medical staff to track vital signs from patients’ homes, reducing the need for frequent hospital visits and allowing for timely interventions.

QEH is also transitioning to electronic medical records, streamlining appointment management and granting patients easier access to their health information. The comprehensive upgrade extends to health information systems, enhancing both patient care and data protection. These initiatives are part of the $130 million capital expenditure programme designed to acquire new technology and upgrade existing systems at the hospital.

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The minister highlighted the urgency of tackling childhood obesity by sharing a personal observation: “I passed a young child today—he couldn’t have been more than four years old—walking with his mother, and I must say, this young boy was probably close to my weight as an adult male. If that trend continues, I’m not sure if he’s going to become one of those very productive citizens that we want.”

He cautioned that the growing burden of treating obesity and other health conditions threatens the country’s development by diverting critical financial resources away from progress.

Ishmael was speaking at the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Barbados’ vendor training session on the updated School Nutrition Policy at Lingwood Hall at St Ann’s Fort, the Barbados Defence Force headquarters. He highlighted the economic impact of the health crisis.

“If we have to redirect funds and use those funds continually to treat ill health, then you can see how we can actually be hampering our development as a country,” he said. The minister warned that such redirection could hinder the nation’s growth in other essential areas, jeopardising long-term sustainability.

Ishmael drew a direct connection between the rise in NCDs and the growing rates of childhood obesity, a trend he said must be reversed.

“We can see that many of our young people are carrying a little bit more weight than they should,” he noted. The minister explained that obesity in childhood could lead to long-term health problems, saying, “When a person is overweight or obese, it can lead them to a long-term lifestyle that unfortunately results in the development of NCDs, such as diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, cancers, etc.”

To combat this public health challenge, the government is crafting a comprehensive national nutrition policy designed to improve the overall health of all Barbadians. Ishmael revealed that the Ministry of Health and Wellness, in partnership with the Ministry of Education, is working to expand the existing school nutrition policy into a nationwide initiative.

“We are in the process of developing a national nutrition policy that will go beyond only schools and ensure that all Barbadians understand the importance of consuming nutritious and healthy meals,” he said.

Vendors and concessionaires, who play a crucial role in shaping eating habits, are key to the success of this initiative, said Ishmael, even as he acknowledged their concerns, particularly over potential impacts on sales.

The minister encouraged the food sellers to embrace healthier options.

“There is a natural fear among vendors and concessionaires,” he said. “But I’m glad to hear from the Heart and Stroke Foundation and other NGOs that we’re working to help you find alternatives. And there are always alternatives.”

Ishmael said a “frank conversation” on obesity was needed.

“We have a problem with childhood obesity in our country and obesity in general,” he said. “We have a problem with NCDs and the management of NCDs in our country. We have a problem with the financial burden that it takes to address ill health. We have a problem. Now that we’ve noted that, we’re having a frank conversation about how to solve it.”

The minister reaffirmed his commitment to addressing the health crisis and urged all citizens to join in the effort.

“The future of our country depends on ensuring that we have healthy young people today,” he said. “You have the full support of the Ministry of Health and Wellness. You have my full support personally.”

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Dr Kenneth Connell, the deputy dean of recruitment and outreach in the faculty of medical sciences at the University of the West Indies Cave Hill Campus, has been appointed as the president of the HCC, a not-for-profit Caribbean non-communicable disease (NCD) alliance of over 100 health and non-health civil society organisations, whose vision is to reduce death and disability from chronic diseases among Caribbean people.

In his first address as HCC president, Dr Connell outlined a multi-pronged approach to improve public health across the Caribbean. “Small island states are now under attack from the deadly triad of cardiovascular disease, climate change, and commercial determinants of health. The HCC must now position itself to be innovative, culturally sensitive, and very responsive to the needs of our stakeholders, especially the individual citizens of our one Caribbean community,” he stated.

At the heart of Dr Connell’s plan is a push for robust school nutrition policies. These aim to instill healthy eating habits in young people, potentially stemming the rise of obesity and related NCDs. Alongside this, he proposes the introduction of octagonal front-of-package warning labels on food products, a measure that has shown promise in other parts of the world in guiding consumers towards healthier choices.

The new president, also a consultant physician at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital and consultant-in-charge of the hospital’s resistant hypertension clinic, is also setting his sights on the food industry, with a particular focus on eliminating trans fatty acids from ultra-processed foods. This initiative could significantly reduce the risk of heart disease across the Caribbean.

“I am both passionate, and unconditionally committed, to advancing our region as a model health space for the world,” he said.

The insurance company Sagicor, which has had a longstanding partnership with the HCC, has welcomed the plan by the new president.

“Sagicor looks forward to future collaborations with the HCC as we seek to help our communities improve the management of chronic diseases in our region,” Paul Inniss, executive vice president of Sagicor Life Inc (Barbados), said.

(PR)

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Ronald Pope, president of the BSP, told Barbados TODAY that the recent spate of brazen violent acts committed by young people over the past several months is deeply concerning and highlights a societal failure to address anger issues among youth.

“They have not been able to manage their anger, they have not been able to manage their emotions, and as a result, when you don’t have any kind of intervention, when you have anger management issues or emotion regulation issues from young, it just gets worse and worse,” Pope said.

The call for action comes in the wake of last week’s death of 17-year-old Takori Wilkinson, who died from his injuries at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. A 16-year-old teenager, Kimani Kyori Starker, has been charged with the 31st homicide for the year.

Pope described the current approach of introducing small initiatives in schools and communities for counselling as piecemeal, given the alarming rise in violent crimes committed by young people, particularly those involving firearms.

“We have reached that point where we definitely need to see that wider initiative within society and within schools,” he stated, adding that a comprehensive strategy for early and thorough intervention must be developed by stakeholders to effectively combat the escalating violence.

The BSP president also stressed the importance of addressing these issues at home: “Whatever we do has to work in the home as well, because the home is usually where [the problems] start.”

Shawn Clarke, head of Supreme Counselling for Personal Development, echoed Pope’s sentiments and called for an overhaul of the rehabilitation framework for young offenders.

“It is now all well and good to say lock them up for 12, 15 years, to be punished for the crime that has been committed without any level of intervention,” Clarke said. He argued for the implementation of deep-level therapy and interventions during incarceration to better prepare offenders for reintegration into society.

shamarblunt@barbadostoday.bb

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The footage circulating online shows an individual emptying residential waste bins and dumping the contents near a business establishment. The Sanitation Service Authority (SSA) said it was not an isolated incident and has sounded the alarm over persistent illegal dumping in the area.

“What we’re seeing here is an ongoing problem where food cartons and various other waste items are being dumped indiscriminately,” Carl Padmore, the SSA’s public relations officer, told Barbados TODAY.

Padmore revealed that the perpetrator was disposing of both personal and others’ refuse, exacerbating an already critical situation.

“We are deeply concerned because such actions contribute to the increasing rodent population in the area,” Padmore said. “Moreover, this waste can wash down into the road, leading to severe flooding, especially during heavy rainfall.”

Despite a prominently displayed ‘No Dumping’ sign, the area continues to be plagued by illegal dumping by both residents and businesses. Repeated warnings and public health notices have fallen on deaf ears, leaving authorities frustrated.

“The public health officers have spoken to the residents and businesses in this area, but it seems nothing is working,” Padmore lamented, repeating his appeal to the public for support in tackling this issue.

The SSA’s efforts to address the situation have been hampered by limitations in their enforcement capabilities, as this responsibility lies with the police. Padmore expressed hope that increased awareness and community co-operation could help stem the tide of illegal dumping.

As the SSA redoubles its efforts to combat this environmental menace, it urges residents and businesses to dispose of waste responsibly. 

“This issue affects everyone, and we need the public’s help to stop illegal dumping,” Padmore urged, while calling on the public to report any witnessed illegal dumping to the relevant authorities. Only through collective action, he argued, can Bridgetown hope to clean up its act and safeguard its environmental future.

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