Grenada Monitors ZIKA VIRUS (ZikaV) in the Region

ST. GEORGE’S, GRENADA, MAY 20, 2015 – GIS: The Ministry of Health (MOH) is seriously concerned and aware of unconfirmed media reports in the region, (Jamaica) of the Zika virus, a virus carried by Mosquitoes, (ZikaV).

However whereas the Ministry has sought clarification and confirmation of such reports, through regular and appropriate channels, the Ministry is still awaiting official communiqué from its trusted and reliable public health agencies including the World Health Organization, Pan American Health Organization and Caribbean Public Health Agency, about the presence of  the virus in our region.

Meanwhile the MOH will like to reiterate and remind the general public of their individual responsibility, to keep their surroundings clean and free from all potential mosquito breeding sites, inclusive of all water holding containers, old tires, bottles, tins, buckets, coconut-shells etc.

The public is also reminded of potential public health hazards and threats, which can arise as a result of indiscriminate waste disposal.

However, in light of the latest public health development and concern, the Ministry has called a meeting of its task-force in accordance with standard protocols.

Presently Grenada has no recorded or suspected cases of the virus and as such the Ministry will continue to remain vigilant by monitoring and safeguarding the public’s health interest.

The public can rest assured that the Ministry will provide regular updates when information comes to hand.

ABOUT THE ZIKA VIRUS

The Zika virus was first isolated in 1947 in Zika Forest (Uganda), in a Rhesus monkey during a study of the transmission of wild yellow fever. It was first isolated in humans in 1952 (Uganda, Tanzania).

In 2007 the first major outbreak of Zika virus fever occurred on the island of Yap (Micronesia) where 185 suspected cases were reported, of which 49 were confirmed and 59 were considered probable. The outbreak lasted 13 weeks (April to July). The probable vector was identified as being Aedes Hensilii, however the presence of the virus in the mosquito could not be determined.

At the end of October 2013, there was an outbreak in French Polynesia. Approximately 10,000 cases were registered, of which approximately 70 were severe cases. The vectors responsible for transmission were Aedes Aegypti and Aedes Polynesiensis.

In February 2014, the public health authorities of Chile confirmed that there was a case of autochthonous transmission of Zika virus infection in Easter Island (Chile).

That same year, cases were also recorded in New Caledonia and in the Cook Islands. To date, NO DEATHS have been attributed to Zika virus infection in any of the reported outbreaks.

After an infected mosquito bite, the disease symptoms usually appear following an incubation period of three to twelve (12) days.

The infection may present itself as asymptomatic or with a moderate clinical picture.

In symptomatic cases, with moderate disease, the symptoms appear acutely and include fever, non-purulent conjunctivitis, headache, myalgia and arthralgia, asthenia, maculopapular rash, edema in the lower limbs and less frequently, retro-orbital pain, anorexia, vomiting, diarrhea, or abdominal pain. The symptoms last for 4-7 days and are self-limiting.

PHASE 2 OF THE GENERAL HOSPITAL CONTINUES

ST. GEORGE’S, GRENADA, WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2015 - GIS:  Work has started in earnest on what is popularly referred to as the metal/steel structure at the St. George’s General Hospital.

On Tuesday an official from the Government Information Services (GIS) made a visit to the site where workmen were observed welding and bolting metal frames while crane operators were also seen moving heavy building materials for installation.

The announcement of the recommencement of work on Phase 2 of the General Hospital project was made in July of 2014, at a joint news conference and signing ceremony by Works Minister, Gregory Bowen and former Health Minister, Dr. Clarice Modeste-Curwen along with Mr. German Gonzales, the Project Manager of Inversiones 7000 A.C,C.A, construction company.

One of the first buildings almost completed under that project is the former Eye Ward. As part of the project, contractors will also carry out work on the Obstetrics-Gynecology ward.

However the metal/steel structure is expected to house the new Accident and Emergencies Department, Laboratory and Imaging to name a few.

Phase 2 of the General Hospital project, was supposed to be a major development at the General Hospital as it relates to services delivery and access for investment.

Following the July 2008 general elections, the Hospital project (Ph-2) was abandoned by the then Tillman Thomas administration who claimed that the building was inadequately designed and promised a new hospital.

Not being able to fulfill their promise of a new hospital, when the (NDC administration) lost the elections in February 2013, the new Keith Mitchell Government then engaged a number of local and international consultants.

At last July’s signing the then Health Minister Dr. Modeste-Curwen told reporters that the continuation of phase 2 does not in any way take away from our commitment to a new hospital.

“A new hospital is very much on Government’s agenda and we are looking for alternative financing. The Ministry of Finance has held discussions with several entities that are interested in a public private partnership” she explained.

Dr. Modeste-Curwen noted that, “The previous Government had started work on the concept and we believe that it was a justified move to make. Of course the cost was phenomenal (a number of millions) and our hesitation coming into office was that the plan was based on a loan agreement and because the nation is all concerned about the public debt we felt that with the state of the economy it was not the best thing to go into at this time,”.

Phase 2 of the General Hospital project is expected to cost US250,000.00 - while component 2 will cost US1.03M. The project is funded by the Bolivarian Government of Venezuela.

300+ Students to Benefit From the Ask Listen Learn Programme

ST. GEORGE, GRENADA, May 6, 2015 – GIS: A total of 375 students will receive training, as part of the Ask Listen Learn programme, developed by the Washington D.C. based Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility, which leads the fight to eliminate underage drinking.

Students from Grades 4, 5 and 6, from three primary schools, Mt. Moritz Anglican, St. David's R.C. and the St. Andrew's Methodist School, have been selected to participate in the programme. In order to facilitate the delivery of the curriculum, the Regional Beverage Alcohol Alliance (RBAA), a social responsibility organization, will present a laptop and a projector to each school.

Several teachers from the respective schools, received specialized training, as part of a 'Train the Trainers’ workshop, for the 'Ask Listen Learn Programme,' onTuesday 28 April, 2015.

RBAA Chairman, Dr. Patrick Antoine, said, “We are clearly, within the Caribbean, facing an epidemic, where the statistics suggest that our children are being introduced to alcohol far too early. For some of us, it is not good enough to sit on the sidelines and be commentators. We have to become very proactive, in terms of finding solutions, where they exist, that can assist us in making the inroads we want, into dealing with clearly what is an emerging social problem.”

Dr. Patrick Antoine was accompanied by Ms. Stacey Clarke from the RBAA, both of whom traveled to Grenada for the workshop, which was facilitated by two of the Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility’s (FAAR’s) educators, Ms. Genevieve Adams and Ms. Elena Sonnino.

This program will be implemented as part of the Health and Family Life Education curriculum of the selected primary schools and is facilitated by the Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development, specifically the Curriculum Unit.

Its objectives are to enhance character development, instill life-skills development, prepare students to become engaged citizens and provide students with the knowledge to not only promote healthy behaviours, but to contribute to success in school and beyond.  In addition to being theoretically grounded, the Ask Listen Learn Programme will feature a number of digitally based interactive exercises designed to build critical thinking, problem solving, decision making and healthy self-management.

On Thursday April 23, 2015 at the St. David's monthly Diabetes Association meeting, Nurse Mitchell encouraged all diabetics present to get their annual flu vaccine.

(Photo #1 Nurse Mitchell giving presentation about vaccination campaign, Photo #2 File photo of St. David's Diabetics Association Members, Photo #3 Mrs. Catherine George getting her flu vaccination)

The CDC recommends that people with either type 1 or type 2 diabetes, who are 6 months and older, get a flu vaccine, "People with diabetes (type 1 and 2), even when well-managed, are at high risk of serious flu complications, often resulting in hospitalization and sometimes even death. Pneumonia, bronchitis, sinus infections and ear infections are examples of flu-related complications. The flu also can make chronic health problems, like diabetes, worse. This is because diabetes can make the immune system less able to fight infections. In addition, illness can make it harder to control your blood sugars. The illness might raise your sugar but sometimes people don’t feel like eating when they are sick, and this can cause blood sugar levels fall. So it is important to follow sick day rules."

Photo courtesy Central Health - Grenada

Pre Diabetics & Diabetics: Ask Your Doctor For An A1C Blood Test

By: Roslyn A. Douglas - Founder of Central Health - Grenada

Grenada Diabetes Association Executive Leadership Team (Left to Right) Francis Balwant Treasurer, Rosalind Alexis President, Alister Antoine Vice-president, Evelyn Davis P.R.O, Marcia Charles Secretary Diabetes Resource Center, Agnes Mitchell Executive Secretary 

One of the most effective tests to determine how effectively a diabetic is managing their glucose level is the A1C test. According to the National Diabetes Education Program’s (NDEP) website, “The A1C is a lab test that measures your average blood sugar level over the last 2 to 3 months. It shows whether your blood sugar stayed close to your target range most of the time, or was too high or too low.”

In order for us to have energy to move about our daily lives, our bodies turn most of the food we eat into glucose or in layman’s terms - sugar. The pancreas, an organ that lies near the stomach, makes a hormone called insulin. This insulin helps the glucose or sugar to get into all parts of human body.   When you have diabetes, your body either doesn't make enough insulin or cannot use its own insulin as well as it should.

When a patient is diagnosed with diabetes their doctor will decide the best treatment plan for them; this may include medication, insulin or both to help control their irregular sugar levels.  In most instances they will encourage changes to eating habits and to increase exercise. Uncontrolled diabetes can cause serious health complication such as, chronic kidney disease (CKD), eye disease (retinopathy), nerve damage affecting for example the hands, feet and penis.  Therefore it is imperative that diabetics check their glucose numbers daily through self-testing (glucometer) and also consider the NDEP’s recommendation that diabetics have an AIC test at least twice a year.  

The A1C test is also recommended for pre-diabetics.  A pre-diabetic is a person whose blood glucose reading is high but not high enough to be classified as a diabetic.  According to the current President of the Grenada Diabetes Association (GDA) Registered Nurse, Rosalind Alexis a person at risk for developing diabetes could benefit from taking the A1C test, “When you have an A1C, perhaps between 5 and 6.5 then you know it is time for you do your exercise and follow up with your diet and lower the risk of you developing the condition.  So it is also beneficial for a person who is not diabetic.” 

Regarding diabetics, Nurse Alexis stated that the A1C is highly recommended, “It is very good and we recommend it highly because persons who might just depend on going to the clinic and testing the blood sugar at a given period - perhaps they test it when they didn’t eat a lot and you get a low blood sugar reading. But the A1C will give you exactly what is happening with your blood.  The A1C will tell you what your blood sugar is over a three month period and it should not go over seven.”

The Grenada Diabetes Association (GDA) under the leadership of Nurse Alexis operates a resource centre within the St. John’s Ambulance Brigade Building in Tanteen, St. George’s.  Its hours of operation are 8:30 am – 4:30 pm and they offer blood sugar/glucose testing, blood pressure screening, weight and body mass index evaluation, diabetic counseling, distribute free materials on how a diabetic can  manage/control their disease and while test kits are available the A1C test.

This is an informational article.  All health related questions should be addressed directly to your doctor or registered nurse.

MOH GETS ADVANCE INFRARED SCANNING SYSTEMS

ST. GEORGE’S, GRENADA, MARCH 19, 2015 – GIS: _ The Ministry of Health has received 41 thousand US dollars worth of advanced health surveillance equipment from Government and People of the Republic of China.

Four handheld Advance Infrared Scanning Systems and 2 stationary Advance Infrared Scanning Systems with a built-in state-of-the-art high resolution tracking cameras, along with other accessories were handed-over to the Ministry of Health on Tuesday by Madam Ou Boqian, the resident Chinese Ambassador to Grenada.

Also present to receive the high-tech health surveillance equipment was Chief Medical Officer, Dr. George Mitchell who described the equipment as crucial.

“This is a very crucial piece of equipment, as it would allow us to be able to detect anyone coming into the country with possible conditions we do not want” explained Mitchell who heads the country’s national response and chairs the Ministry’s Infectious Diseases Taskforce, which was constituted by former Health Minister Dr. Clarice Modeste-Curwen in 2014.

Mitchell told reporters that the priceless bit of modern health equipment will strengthen the Ministry’s response, adding that the Ministry is extremely concern about any infectious disease that could and would affect the country.

Meanwhile Health Minister Nickolas Steele who received the items on behalf of the Grenadian people thanked the Chinese Ambassador and by extension her Government and People for their assistance.

The Health Minister reassured the Ambassador that the Ministry will not only care for the equipment but put it to use for the benefit of the all citizens of the tri-island.

The equipment will be installed at the main ports of entry in the coming weeks, as local health authorities continue to beef-up its surveillance and response systems to combat infectious diseases.

To date the Ministry has 13 handheld Advance Infrared Scanning Systems and 2 stationary Advance Infrared Scanning Systems with a built-in state-of-the-art high resolution tracking cameras. 

Startling Findings On Adolescent Alcohol Consumption in Grenada

ST. GEORGE’S, GRENADA, MARCH 12, 2015:  The Public Health Action Support Team (PHAST), from the University of Michigan and the University of Illinois presented interesting preliminary findings on the gender differences in consumption of alcohol by adolescents at a meeting with officials from the Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development on Friday, March 6, 2015.

University of Michigan students, Christopher Ndubuizu and Chelsea Foo, led the study during March 2 to 6, 2015. They found that many female students  reported to have consumed alcohol one year prior to the survey and that a smaller percentage of females reported having serious conversations regarding drug/alcohol use with parents. They concluded that in the third Secondary School Drug Prevalence Survey of 2013 there were notable differences in the way that males and females consume alcohol.

Several themes emerged from the preliminary study including a lack of awareness regarding adverse health effects of alcohol consumption; confusion about drinking laws and the legal age for this; gender differences in drinking preferences and where they drink; behavioural expressions of alcohol consumption in males versus females; and  insufficient discussions about alcohol use.

The team advised of the need to create more public awareness about the effects of alcohol consumption as a public health preventative strategy to avoid chronic illnesses, among other things. They noted that the public looked mainly at the short-term effects of alcohol use, such as the behavior caused by intoxication, but were not very focused on the long-term effects such as chronic diseases or fetal alcohol syndrome.

Elvis Morain, Chief Education Officer (A.g), in addition to stating the Ministry’s satisfaction with the PHAST collaboration, said “…Dr. Jeremiah and another student, would return to Grenada, to continue the formulation of the draft policy on alcohol.  Yesterday, we received comments and amendments to the draft policy from Dr. Tomo Kanda, Advisor, at the Regional Office of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).  These comments and amendments would be incorporated into the draft document.”

As Morain stated in his presentation, PHAST has done significant work in Grenada in the area of health, including work with the Sickle Cell Association, projects in community health, including work with Spice Island Beach Resort and the Special Services Unit evaluation of their fitness club.

Assistant Professor of Community Health Sciences, University of Illinois’ School of Public Health, Dr. Rohan D. Jeremiah, MPH, Ph.D., said, “The emphasis is to really try to enable students provide practical expertise and opportunities to health departments and we’ve done that over the past couple years.” He also said that the students involved have been trained for at least a year or two, during their graduate studies, prior to their participation in PHAST.

Drug Control Officer, Mr. Dave Alexander pointed out discrepancies in laws and regulations that deal with the age of consumption and other factors affecting drug control, which need to be addressed as it relates to adolescents’ access to alcohol in Grenada.

They conducted the study via conversations with secondary school students, including one all-boy, one all-girl and one co-ed school in both rural and urban environments and by varying the type and age range of groups of students interviewed.

PHAST is an interdisciplinary public health practice group that helps health departments and community organizations with short-term public health related projects.  It is  presently conducting studies on the relationship between alcohol consumption and gender (gendered expressions and justification of alcohol usage among adolescents and the possible linkages to sexual risk behavior patterns).