JAPHI Members Continue to Play Significant Role

President of the Jamaica Association of Public Health Inspectors (JAPHI), Karen Brown, says its members continue to play a significant role in the ongoing battle against the coronavirus (COVID-19).

As the association celebrates Public Health Inspectors (PHIs) Week, under the team: ‘Strengthening Environmental Health: Lessons Learned from the Pandemic’, Ms. Brown is lauding PHIs for their resilience and commitment shown in dealing with the challenges of the pandemic.

Speaking at a Jamaica Information Service (JIS) ‘Think Tank’ at the agency’s regional office in Montego Bay, St. James, on October 23, Ms. Brown said that even under trying circumstances, and the increased workload that “came upon the shoulders of PHIs”, they continue to serve at the highest standard to safeguard the health of the country.

“When the pandemic hit, we had to double up. We have always been involved in some investigation of food-borne illnesses, vector-borne illnesses, but we had to give support to our partners, the nurses and those who are in the curative services to help them to investigate the cases, conduct contact tracing and do more in terms of going to numerous communities to investigate the premises to determine whether or not there are risks… and they were able to deliver to the best of their abilities,” she said.

The President noted that with the new and rapidly changing guidelines and standards developed to curtail the spread of COVID-19, PHIs had to quickly process and implement the measures to safeguard public health.

“Even the numerous guidelines and standards that came out of the Ministry of Health and Wellness, they were very fast and furious, so we [PHIs] would have had to interpret the guidelines quickly. If we got them today, we have to interpret them and be ready to implement them tomorrow. If you get them now, you had to be equipped with your public health knowledge and implement the guidelines to help to safeguard health and protect people’s lives as much as we could,” Ms. Brown outlined.

Meanwhile, she informed that there have been positive shifts in human behaviour in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“People are more vigilant about respiratory etiquette and personal hygiene, so that is a good thing. We have always been preaching the public health message – wash, rinse and sanitise your utensils in the bars because the glass that somebody drinks from may not be properly cleaned and somebody else in a bar drinks from that glass and it results in you contracting a respiratory infectious illness,” she said.

“So, these were basic things that were being taught for a long period of time, but these have become more relevant now in these current times, so there is good out of the pandemic,” Ms. Brown added.

JAPHI is hosting its 75th Annual Educational Conference virtually from October 24 to 30.