By Lara Pickford-Gordon
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad – With thousands of officials and delegates expected here for next month’s Summit of the Americas, the US Department of State (USDS) is strongly advising its citizens to have “comprehensive medical and travelling insurance” as health services here were “significantly” below US standards. The USDS also warned of “limited” medical supplies and strikes by medical personnel.
Health Minister Jerry Narace was contacted yesterday to comment on the health sector’s role in the April 17 to 19 Summit. He said preparations were a continuation of work done with the Cricket World Cup which the Caribbean hosted in 2007. A Committee chaired by the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr Anton Cumberbatch is handling the planning.
Narace said what is “done for disaster preparedness will be adapted to suit the needs of the Summit and the Commonwealth Heads of Government and Caribbean Games.”
The Games take place in July and Commonwealth Heads meet in TT in November.
Narace said the plan is continuously adapted.
He provided few details but said a comprehensive statement will be issued by the Ministry “in due course.”
Narace said visitors to TT have been asked to get the necessary immunization and have the documents to confirm this.
Asked about registration of foreign medical personnel who will be part of the delegations Narace said, “All of these issues will be addressed by the Committee headed by the CMO”.
The fifth Summit of the Americas Bulletin advised: “All persons entering the Republic of TT are required to be vaccinated for Yellow Fever, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Typhoid”.
The bulletin said medical stations will be established at all summit venues and events, with ambulance services available for transport to an appropriate health facility as required. Emergency services will be available at all times.
Participants to the Summit are being advised to “travel with any relevant medical details and medication”. An air ambulance emergency evacuation service will be available.
As for care at hospitals, the bulletin stated TT had a network of health care services for adults and children and 24-hour service was available on a 24-hour basis “both at public and private medical facilities”. International medical insurance was recommended to visitors.
“Healthcare services, including medication, are provided free of charge at public health institutions.
However, healthcare services, as well as medication, at private institutions will be available at a cost to participants”, the bulletin said. Yellow fever and dengue fever were highlighted at the USDS site.
Although there have been no human cases since 1979, it said the yellow fever virus “appears to be permanently embedded in forested areas of the central/south region of the island of Trinidad”.
Outspoken medical practitioner Dr Neil Singh agreed with some of the statements on the USDS site about TT’s medical facilities.
He illustrated this by referring to major public institutions lacking Government funded cardiac care units, although heart disease is the leading cause of death in the country.
Singh noted that the ambulance service did not reach several rural areas such as Mayaro and Toco.
Singh said the USDS failed to mention the acute shortage of doctors, nurses and pharmacist in the country.
