Health Minister, Dr. Irving McIntyre, has said a separate entrance screening for suspected coronavirus (COVID-19) cases has been put in place at the Dominca-China Friendship Hospital.
At a National Emergency Planning Organisation (NEPO) meeting held in Jimmit on Wednesday, McIntyre made it clear that suspected cases and normal patients cannot access the same Accident and Emergency Department.
“We have put some measures in place that if someone were to come, we have a separate entrance for you. You’ll to be screened separately…and we’ve had a separate isolation area where we can isolate eight people and facilities for eight other people that are non-ICU cases,” he stated.
He said that regardless of the fact that a new hospital is being built on an old site, he commends the staff for carrying out their preparedness while construction is going ongoing.
The health minister said that the government has also looked at a place in the vicinity of Ross University in Portsmouth – opposite Whichchurch where the canteens are located.
“Let’s assume that we were to get twenty/ thirty patients or some suspected cases and we have to isolate, this is where we’ve identified in Portsmouth…that’s a much bigger area,” he explained.
McIntyre said the hospital’s staff are being trained repeatedly and this will continue as time goes along.
Meantime, he said, training is being conducted within the fire and ambulance service for the purpose of proper personal protection and the handling of suspected cases of the coronavirus.
The training was done on February 7th with the Fire and Emergency Department headquarters staff alongside three other representatives from out district stations.
The minister said at the workshop, coordinated by the Infection Disease Unit, updates and information were given to all participants.
“We have identified and separated one ambulance station at the brigade headquarters for use as a main vehicle for response to suspected cases because we cannot have the ambulance handling the normal patients and suspected cases,” he explained.
McIntyre said twelve hazmat suits have also been made available for the ambulance operators.
The hazmat suit is a whole-body garment worn as protection against hazardous materials/diseases.
My brother de government that you are a part of has been lying to us about so much…. even an attempted coup.
You expect me and other real patriots of Dominica to just accept drink from you just because you are a doctor?
Politics is not your field…. you are a trained doctor…. now politics take over you.
My brother de world to small for you to think you and Skerrit have de answer to Corona virus.
De most interesting thing I get from this… China and US finalized their trade deal just last December….was this virus part of the plan?
Darroux was a doctor now you…. not a dam difference…pure waste of tax payers hard earned money.
You and Skerrit have de nation in a false state of health care readiness!!!
Luke 21:7-11 American Standard Version (ASV)
7 And they asked him, saying, Teacher, when therefore shall these things be? and what shall be the sign when these things are about to come to pass? 8 And he said, Take heed that ye be not led astray: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am he; and, The time is at hand: go ye not after them. 9 And when ye shall hear of wars and tumults, be not terrified: for these things must needs come to pass first; but the end is not immediately.
10 Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; 11 and there shall be great earthquakes, and in divers places famines and pestilences; and there shall be terrors and great signs from heaven.
Boy all you can lie you all can’t even do a MRI is coronavirus you all can take care of are you just byass
Dear Minister, will you comment on any visitor from China entering the Country in the last 8 weeks or so. Were they tested….quarantined…..please release this important information. We need to be careful.
These lies sound good but really do not carry much weight and will not change much even if they have separate doors. Look first of all, we have two main hospitals one in Roseau and one in Portsmouth. So even if they have two separate doors in Roseau, what about Possie? What if the north becomes the Wahun of China? Also, one ambulance stationed in Roseau, what about cases in Portsmouth, Marigot, La plane, Grandbay etc?
Secondly, even if we use one door for those suspected to have the virus, what about those with the virus without symptoms, that use the regular door to enter the hospital? Honestly speaking all I am hearing from the doctor I once respected and the doctor that once saved many lives is nothing more than the misleading lies of Skerrit, only that this time it’s through the lips of a doctor we love and respect. The Bible tells us that money is the root of all evil and such people have pieced themselves with grid 1 Tim 6:10. Sadly, our professionals are paid to lie to us
@Greed, It looks like you been under a stone or smoking grass! It’s not all about China right now USA, UK, Europe and beyond we all is in the same boat now. Many years ago there was something called the black death originated from China, today once again we have( Covid-19)originated from China, you and others such as so-called Workers clowns suckers should stop criticizing the authorities and listen or else we all end up in the bone yard.