Health officials explain Dominica’s hospital readiness for COVID-19

Hospital Medical Director, Dr. Ruby Blanc

Hospital Medical Director, Dr. Ruby Blanc, has revealed that the COVID -19 patients being treated at the isolation unit in St James at Portsmouth, are stable and being monitored closely.

The country on Wednesday 25th, March recorded 11 positive cases of the Coronavirus (Covid-19).

According to Dr. Blanc, patients are being housed at both units – the one in St James and another at the Dominica-China Friendship Hospital (DCFH).

“Most of the management of the patients in St James is in the form of monitoring to detect any deterioration,” Dr. Blanc said. “I am pleased to announce that the patients at St. James are stable and continue to be monitored closely.”

She said the patients at the DCFH are those who may be experiencing some kind of clinical, significant respiratory or breathing complex.

She explained that the treatment in that area will include support therapy.

Dr. Blanc went on to say if patients breathing becomes severe then they will be placed on a ventilator.

She said so far, no patients had been placed on ventilators, “And I am sure we will all pray that we will not need to have any patients being ventilated.”

She said at the DCFH and St James in Portsmouth, there is a mix of Dominican doctors and doctors from the Cuban Technical Assistance Programme.

Dr. Blanc called on the public to do all they can to limit the spread of the disease, to “be our brother’s keepers” and to work collaboratively to get hold of the coronavirus.

“I believe as a nation, if we do what we have to do we can combat it and come out on top,” she stated.

Meantime, Acting Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr. Curvin Ferreira said the ICU at the DCFH has been expanded to include 4 additional ventilators and another 10 are due to arrive in a week’s time.

He explained that all tests for Covid-19 are done on-site by the national laboratory and results are available within 24 hours.

“At present there are 8 isolation rooms at the Dominica-China Friendship Hospital,” Dr, Ferreira indicated.

He said that at the DCFH only emergencies are seen, except for laboratory services and oncology services.

“When one arrives at the hospital gates for any condition, your temperature will be taken and a brief history will be taken from you. If you have respiratory symptoms you will be further assessed and if you fit the case definition for Covid-19 you will be isolated and tested,” Dr. Ferreira explained. “If not, you are discharged or treated as your condition demands.”

He advised everyone to ensure that the virus is not spread.

“Stay at home and observe safe distancing. Wash our hands thoroughly and be mindful,” he noted. “When you are being negligent and aware that you are infected with it, going out in villages spreading the virus, you are causing harm to other individuals.”

Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Curvin Ferreira,

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27 Comments

  1. Islandgirl
    March 29, 2020

    Can you not see that the world as we know it is changing drastically and fast! The ENTIRE world is in this same battle! The wealthiest Nations are suffering fighting this war against the dreaded COVID-19 and loosing!!! Give our leaders a break for heavens sake! From my perspective we are ahead of the game so far in Dominica. Dr. Ferreira in my opinion is an excellent choice he is a dedicated brilliant doctor and the right choice for Chief Medical Officer. I would imagine Dr. Ferreira has saving Dominica on his mind, his biggest concern was not memorizing some speech given to him 15 minutes prior. Have some respect!
    Some of us will be on the front line risking our lives to help the community. Most will be asked to safely stay at home. Follow direction and stop the criticism of a government and leaders that so clearly love their people! Pull together and show support when critical decisions are made. I cannot believe in a country so blessed with freedom there is such ungratefulness.

  2. LANGSAL
    March 29, 2020

    Dr. Johnson enjoy your quarantine time at home. Let them think they are hurting you. Even if you did not stand for your marigot people with regards to the hospital, I will still say enjoy your rest……

  3. Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
    March 27, 2020

    “Meantime, Acting Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr. Curvin Ferreira said the ICU at the DCFH has been expanded to include 4 additional ventilators and another 10 are due to arrive in a week’s time. ”

    So. Curvin, I need to ask you a question: What is the population of Dominica?

    Be very careful now not to lie; be careful not to tell me the population of Dominica is seventy thousand people, because that would be a lie!

    Now there might be seventy thousand Dominicans alive; nevertheless, there are more of us in the diaspora than in Dominica.

    Even at that in the event of twenty thousand people in the country become infected with the disease, the fourteen (14) ventilators you boast will not be enough to deal with the situation.

    ………………it takes one ventilator to serve each patient, unless you have the scientific expertise in Dominica to modify one to serve multiple…

    • Simple
      March 29, 2020

      In a week is joke..their master telling them.what to say.
      Just like he said we were the first to test and we only got the kit weeks after he said we were preparred to test…doc doh u sisappointing me.. continuation of mcintyre controlled by the master.. tell us the condition of our parients

    • Zeb
      March 29, 2020

      Francisco Telemaque before you throw stones look into your own backyard and ask yourself the same question, do you have enough ventilators in the city, state or country of 327 million you live in? I will give you the answer: NO not any thing close to that massive population. Remember those who live in glass houses should not throw stones.

      • Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
        March 30, 2020

        Fact is if I look into my backyard, I will come to the realization that even if the situation is critical, America do have the potential to start equipping manufacturing industries such as GM (General Motors), and companies such as General Electric (GE), and many other large companies, if I mention them will not ring  a bell in your ear.
        Nevertheless, the science, technical skills, and financial resources America have which can, and will be utilize to manufacture millions of ventilators to be distributed to hospitals all over this nation.
        You do not have any such science, nor financial resources in Dominica, all you have is doctor  Punjab Roosevelt Skerrit with his crap telling cook shop operators to be creative in fighting corona-virus! 
         You know; jumping down my throat will not help you: worry about the hospitals we lack in the country, and the poor medical treatment the quacks give to you all; malpractice is rampant.

        The vast poverty; and Roosevelt yokes around your necks!

  4. Trouble I see
    March 27, 2020

    Really? Dr Curvin Ferreira is now Skerrit’s Chief Medical Officer? And Skerrit was able to boast of how he called Dr. Ferreira and within 15 minutes Ferreira had to find himself at a press briefing with Skerrit? Man if these are the people I have to take as examples of educated and professionals, I rather stay uneducated and unprofessional wee boy. No wonder my child in preschool would have read the scrip Dr. Ferreira read much better than Dr. Ferreira. The fiasco of Skerrit reminds me of a little game we use to play in elementary school, back in the 70’s that went like this:
    Mother would say “My children my children I call you.” Busy or not, playing or not children would answer ” Yes mama I coming…”. Dr. Ferreira even behaved worse than those children because after mother called we still kept playing but Dr. Ferreira, an adult and Medical doctor just had to stop what he was doing immediately and come bow his knees to Skerrit in 15 minutes. Look Trouble I see

    • Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
      March 28, 2020

      Sooner or later his kind, because of wanting something from Roosevelt;  lowers and step on  their integrity, and droop to the level of a puppet of Roosevelt.
      He jumped ship, kissing Skerrit smelling behind just before the election, hoping that Roosevelt will give him permission to open some Medical School he crave in Dominica.
      Even if Roosevelt would allow him to open a Medical School in Dominica, it would never takeoff and become successful as Ross University School of medicine was!
      In his case it’s a matter of greed; what he does not realize is that Dr. Ross who started Ross University in Dominica, is an American by birth, 99.9999% of his students who studied in Dominica were Americans, he had connections in America where graduating students did their intern, allowing them to work here.
      Dominica is foreign to America; which hospital in America would recognized a medical degree from Dominica, signed by Curvin an unknown nobody who cannot practice medicine in America.

  5. Pipo
    March 27, 2020

    Curvin Ferreira now Chief Medical Officer? Another turncoat who owes Roosevelt Skerrit favours. He used to be a supporter of the UWP but turned and supported Roosevelt Skerrit at the last election. Why? Can’t trust that man because everything he says must be rose coloured now rjust like that ex MP for Roseau central.

  6. LANGSAL
    March 27, 2020

    its amazing how men who seem in control, powerful because and endless mental resource, financially sound and self made like dr. curvin and ruby blanc will do and say to please an autocratic leader who brought CURVIN to HIS knees with regards to a medical hospital,,,

    i am sorry for dominica because skerrit created the mess and those wannabe boomboom flies trying to make him look good

  7. As I see it
    March 27, 2020

    A few words from the mouth of Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit describes our readyness. He said he was able to call his new Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Curvin Ferreira and within 15 minutes Dr. Ferreira was able to join him for the briefing. That alone sums it up. No wonder a well trained and experience Dr. Ferreira couldn’t even property recite his poem Skerrit gave him to recite because he had no time to go over it. OMG I just can’t understand how grown men and professional people stepping down so low to a young man that’s the least qualified in the group. All in all I don’t trust a thing they said because everything was designed to cover the doctor doctor, who seems to be the new health minister, though he has three real qualified doctors, Dr. McIntyre, Dr King and Dr Darroux in his cabinet. OMG 😂😍 what a joke and a show of performing arts.

    • BusDriverBusDriver
      March 28, 2020

      Pure nonsense. We just not ready.

  8. Da Girl
    March 27, 2020

    I don’t understand some people you know. In my opinion, they should be giving press briefings every day, if not at least every two days. If they were not saying anything, it would be said that they hiding information, don’t know what they doing, they have no plan. Now regular press briefings is a problem. Can never please everyone so why bother try? MOH just continue to do the best you guys can in combating this disease.

    • De Bwoy
      March 27, 2020

      I don’t think the problem is the press briefing. It’s seem to be what is said or not being said.

    • Bwa-Banday
      March 27, 2020

      Just one day Dum-ni-cans will get it that they are being used and abused by the this con artist called Skerrit and his incompetent regime. :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: . Ash kissing will not help anyone of us because unfortunately our national flag is not totally red.

    • Highlander
      March 27, 2020

      I wouldn’t mind as long as they would give us anything worthwhile. But all we get is propaganda, lies and aahs and uuhs…. However, you clearly seem satisfied with that, the same way you are satisfied with the dry crumbs from your masters rich table. You, Da Girl, personify everything that’s wrong in today’s Dominica!!

      • Thou shalt not kill
        March 28, 2020

        A put to death specialist all of a sudden becomes part of saving lives team? Awa PM that messed up the mission

  9. ??????
    March 27, 2020

    What happen to the Chief Medical Officer that doc far ra ra is acting?

    • D/can to d bone
      March 27, 2020

      Maybe he have de virus

    • Ras B
      March 27, 2020

      He is from Marigot and since Ferriera has agreed to be a stooge for Dr. Skerrit, he is now gradually replacing Dr David Johnson. This position is normally occupied by a person with public health training. There are two such individuals on the island and Dr Ferriera is not one of them. This therefore seems as pay back for Dr Ferriera selling out the UWP on a platform in St. Joseph at the last election season.

      You remember what the nurse, Mrs Sanford, told us how Dr Skerrit and Mr Lawrence were so pleased with themselves when they recalled Dr Ferriera speaking ill about the UWP during the launching of the other Doctor from St. Joseph!

  10. Kalinago Justice
    March 26, 2020

    :?: How grown men who’s supposed to know better based on their experience has brought themselves to grovelling to an inexperienced oneman rogue regime! :?: I heard the now socalled chief medical officer trying and struggling to speak without saying nothing substantial. Where is the readiness when a man who came from England a hotspot for the virus was allowed to enter the island, left the airport and ended up in Delices until he spread the virus :?: There was no screening and quarantining of the man before he spread the virus. The oneman rogue regime needs to be held accountable and booted out of office!!!

    • My money
      March 27, 2020

      Ikr skerrit already done brainwash dem sor sort. They have no say what skerrot say they just have to bow alas.

  11. Bwa-Banday
    March 26, 2020

    Lol that was not a press conference :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

    Thats was a press BS to fool the people not a conference. The Acting CMO seemed like he was completely lost and had no idea he was expected to be at the briefing :mrgreen: :mrgreen: . They slipped in the new numbers between all the noise and Skerro spent almost two hours lecturing his subjects (dum-in-cans) as if somebody died and willed the country and its citizens to him as personal property. By the time he was done Carlisle and Curtis were mesmerized and was not sure of what was their role :mrgreen: :mrgreen: . But like JD would say; “Take your wood and doh complain”. Dominica has really become a fools paradise papa!

    • Mynott
      March 27, 2020

      Alas we…sadets take dominica back with prayers

  12. Thanks
    March 26, 2020

    Thanks to the healthcare system and the health specialists in Dominica. It’s kind of early, but the emphasis and the resistance is commendable.

    • Richard
      March 30, 2020

      To me it looks like you got the virus already because you are hallucinating big time! What healthcare system are you talking about? What healthcare specialists are you talking about? I know that Dominica has a ‘state of the art hospital’ where patients very seldom return from alive once they were inpatients. Is that what you are referring to? Or is it that same state of the art hospital full of health specialist that the PM, his family, his ministers and all labour big wicks avoid like the plague? Is it that structure you are referring to?

  13. Batibou River
    March 26, 2020

    You know what, I suggest you all stop talking for the time being. Further down the road we will all know for certain how well the regime was prepared and how well this country has fared. I suspect the reading won’t be a good one. So all you ‘professionals’ stop spreading Skerrits propaganda. The survivors will judge him and his cronies in due course.

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