Some Health Centres in SERHA Open Today and Tomorrow to Treat Persons Affected By Emissions from Fire at Riverton City Disposal Site

Some Health Centres in the South East Regional Health Authority are open today from 8:00 a.m. to facilitate persons who have been affected by the smog, smoke and other emissions arising from the fire at the Riverton City Disposal Site.

The Health Centres which are open today from 8:00am-4:00pm are the Glen Vincent and Edna Manley in Kingston and St. Andrew and St. Jago Park in St. Catherine. The Maxfield Park Health Centre also opened at 8:00am today and closed at 12pm. The Duhaney Park Health Centre which is routinely open on Saturdays opened this morning but was closed at 12:00pm due to the effects of the smoke. With the exception of the Duhaney Park Health Centre which remains affected by the situation, these Health Centres will also be opened tomorrow, Sunday, March 15, 2014.

This comes after Minister of Health Dr. Fenton Ferguson gave instructions for the Region to put additional mechanisms in place to accommodate persons, including opening some Health Centres for the weekend.

Acting Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Marion Bullock DuCasse, says in addition to the Health Centres, located in St. Catherine and Kingston and St. Andrew, the Casualty Department of the National Chest Hospital is prepared to accept and treat affected persons today.

Meanwhile, Dr. DuCasse is advising persons with chronic respiratory illnesses such as asthma or recent respiratory infections not to participate in any outdoor activity in areas affected by the emissions from the fire.

“Persons who suffer from asthma and other respiratory illnesses should also cover mouth and nose with a clean damp rag to protect themselves from inhalation of smoke and dust particles arising from the fire at the Riverton City Disposal Site if they have to be outdoors. Parents and guardians should pay special attention to young children especially those who are asthmatic and suffer from other respiratory illnesses,” she added.

She said children should be kept indoors as much as possible and windows and doors should be kept closed to prevent exposure to smoke and dust.