Public Hospitals in Emergency Mode

All public hospitals across the island have entered emergency mode as the health system prepares for the impact of Tropical Storm Melissa.

Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton, said that while hospitals will remain open, outpatient and elective surgeries will be suspended for the time being to focus on emergencies.

“Visitations will be limited and family members are asked to pick up their relatives who have been admitted for non-critical reasons. The respective hospitals will reach out to those family members,” he informed.

“We have to reserve bed spaces just in case we need them for emergencies,” he said.

Minister Tufton was addressing a special press briefing at the Office of the Prime Minister on Thursday (October 23).

He noted that health centres will be open until 4:00 p.m. on Thursday and a further update on their operations will be provided on Friday (October 24). There are approximately 325 health centres across the island.

Highlighting the readiness of the health system, Dr. Tufton said that 116 priority facilities have been identified, comprising 25 hospitals and 91 type three to five health centres.

“Some 702 personnel are on standby across parishes for emergency response activation,” he indicated.

In terms of command and control, Dr. Tufton said that 100 per cent of the priority facilities have established identifiable command centres to coordinate emergency response operations with clearly defined roles and responsibilities.

He reported that 75 per cent of the facilities have functional backup generators with fuel reserves capable of sustaining power for some 72 hours post-disaster, and they have sufficient medical gas and supplies to last for some 72 hours.

“Strategic stockpiles of medications and medical consumables have been verified and are maintained at a minimum 72-hour level,” he noted further.

In addition, all the priority facilities have documented infection-prevention and control protocols in place, and 87 per cent of them have reported having fully functional transportation for emergency response and patient support.

In terms of communication, Dr. Tufton informed that 75 ultra-high frequency (UHF) radio systems are available for mobile response teams, and a Starlink backup communication system has been tested in the Western Regional Health Authority (WRHA) for enhance redundancy.

“We are putting in and have put in communication systems to be able to communicate if there are disruptions in normal channels,” he said.

Dr. Tufton said that there are approximately 5,000 beds, 20 operating theatre units, and 19 emergency rooms available across the public system, with plans for the rapid redeployment of mobile response teams if required.

“There is one functioning field hospital, which is currently being deployed at the May Pen Hospital,” he noted further.

Meanwhile, Dr. Tufton said that the  emergency operation centre is now fully activated within the Ministry of Health and Wellness.

“It is a 24-hour centre, which keeps in touch will all the collaborative agencies and mans from that space, the response that is required throughout the country,” he said.