Gary Spaulding, Senior Gleaner Writer Published: Sunday | August 10, 2014
Dr. Louisa Baxter |
A gutsy Jamaican doctor living in the United Kingdom, who has added her expertise to the gamut of international medical teams combating the Ebola crisis in West Africa, has given the islandhigh marks for taking the necessary precautionary measures to stave off a local outbreak of the disease.
Dr Louisa Baxter, who spent her early years in St Mary and once worked at the Kingston Public Hospital, told The Sunday Gleaner yesterday that vigilance must remain the order of the day to avoid a Caribbeanoutbreak of Ebola, which has already claimed at least 961 lives from 1,779 recorded cases on the African continent - a death rate of just more than 50 per cent.
"It is a worrying issue for the international community," stressed Baxter, who had just returned to London, England, from Sierra Leone and Liberia, where she came face to face with the suffering of Ebola victims.
"Jamaica is doing what it is supposed to, but the gravity of the situation (in Africa) must not be lost on anyone because the international community is so closely connected these days."
Ministry keeping informed
Last Thursday, Jamaica's Health Minister Dr Fenton Ferguson indicated that the ministry has been keeping itself informed of developments with respect to the Ebola outbreak through reports issued by the World Health Organisation.
According to Ferguson, surveillance at the nation's points of entry is already in place and "we will be continuing with training and sensitisation of our health workers, as part of measures to increase our vigilance and preparedness for this disease".
He added: "I would like to assure that we continue to enjoy the support of the University of the West Indies Virology Lab, the United States Centres for Disease and Control and Prevention and the Caribbean Public Health Agency, for testing if needed." more
coming from protecting the innocent but wondered if in that case not better to let the innocent or in this case healthy protect themselves like with free clothing and so on then might can go on with normal life and care for the sick too and yes people need human rights then might get enough charity so they don't have to be enforced and yes like the expression of louise myself still starting big freedom foundation easy to find on google but anyway hope ok and thanks. fred
ReplyDeletethen just heard million tests soon available to test before can spread only have to speed up zmapp to tread with less death when not without but yes and anyway as always hope ok and thanks. fred
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