by Linda Straker
- 3 doctors and nurse practitioners arriving from Mexico
- They will be spending at least one week assisting Covid-19 team at General Hospital
- US team coordinated by Grenadian Dr Phillip Bonaparte who resides in USA
A medical team from Mexico and another from the USA will be joining the medical team at the General Hospital to strengthen the delivery of essential healthcare services as Grenada continues to battles with increased infections, hospitalisations and death from Covid-19.
Health Minister Nickolas Steele said that 3 doctors and nurse practitioners from Mexico were sent as a result of a bilateral request to the Mexican Government. The US team is coordinated by Grenadian Dr Phillip Bonaparte who resides in the USA.
“Today we have 2 teams coming in to assist, one team from Mexico of doctors and health professionals that will give support and easement to our ICU team and our hospital team in general and another team lead by our proud and patriotic Grenada – Dr Phillip Bonaparte,” Steele announced during the weekly Monday morning television programme Perspectives.
A focal point for the team from the USA said that the team will comprise of Grenadians doctors who reside and work in the USA and other US nationals. “That team is a mixture of Grenadians and USA medical professionals, and they will be spending at least one week on the island assisting the Covid-19 team at the General Hospital,” said Keith Ventour, focal point.
Steeles said that besides the 2 teams who will be in Grenada this week, St George’s University which has graduated thousands of doctors over the years, will also be tapping into their alumni with a view to rendering some essential service to Grenada.
“They will be coming in so they will be giving easement at all different levels and support to our medical team who has been on the frontline bearing the brunt of this today,” he said.
From mid-August 2021, Grenada began recording increased Covid-19 positive cases, and by mid-September over 3,000 cases were recorded. Community spread of the virus has been declared with all 7 parishes affected by the virus.
There have been 50 Covid-19 related deaths and health authorities have disclosed that a contributing factor to the death rate is late arrival for hospital care.
“The action we take in society is what will prevent or slows the hospitalization and the deaths,” Steele said as he encouraged citizens to become vaccinated and make the public health protocols of wearing an appropriate face mask or covering, physical distancing and using sanitisers part of the new normal for living.
How sad we are this juncture…But we must keep pressing forward with a positive disposition.
I pray wisdom prevails and a just culture cultivated… The blame game is counterproductive.
To get out of this medical crisis requires everyone on board and speaking up for safety. If you see something say something to motivate change.
Too many senseless loss of lives have resulted. We are our brothers and sisters keeper, so let us act like it.
Grenadians, please consider vaccination, and even then, you must adhere to evidence-based guidelines to mitigate the spread of this very infectious and deadly strain of the COVID -19 virus.
My heart goes out to the health sector and the brave practitioners and nurses at the forefront. Please take care of yourselves…No shortcuts in daily practice. Wear your PPE appropriately, and especially when donning and doffing to avoid self contamination.
Profound gratitude to foreign practitioners and foreign nationals coming to the support of a fatigued and limited-resource healthcare system.
My prayers go out to everyone…Be safe, and above everything else, be considerate of others…Do not be the cause of another’s death
SVR you need to do your do proper research there have been cases who have had early treatment and have managed to stay out of hospital and are recovering quite well even if they are not vaccinated.
Sorry evidence based, and working as a physician in NY for many years and through the pandemic. Vaccination is the way out of the mess – and the skeptics and unvaccinated are the current conduit for the virus to keep doing what it does so well – kill humans ! read science and listen to health advise.
The medical help is for the sick in the hospital – the unvaccinated population of Grenada is providing the virus access and it will spread . PLEASE get vaccinated – it is beyond religion and politics… save yourselves … enjoy a day at the beach
VACCINATION is the WAY OUT of this covid disaster . All other arguments are useless and a waste of time and LIFE !!!
TRUTH!
This is not only a national health disaster but an economic one too.
Come on fellow Grenadian’s, wake up and see the writing on the wall please! – it’s all around you everywhere you look.
Without a vaccinated population, death and economic hardship will be the new normal for many months to come…