Barbados has increased its border surveillance and pre-boarding checks from its main source markets as the country attempts to shore up its protection from the highly contagious Ebola virus.
The island has also strengthened its emergency response plans, expanded isolation capacity and the training of frontline health care workers.
In an interview with the Sunday Sun, Chief Medical Officer Dr The Most Honourable Kenneth George said the Ministry of Health and Wellness has reinforced its existing arrangements, including preparing a special six-bed isolation facility at Enmore, St Michael, to accommodate suspected or confirmed cases.
George stressed, however, that while Barbados was maintaining a high state of readiness, there was no reason for public panic, as the current risk to the island remained relatively low.
“We are in a state of readiness, but we are certainly not panicked,” he said, explaining that the ministry had updated its existing and specialised Ebola Response Plan to incorporate the latest international guidance and developments surrounding the disease.
Dr George said the ministry had also approached countries with direct links to Barbados, urging them to ensure that pre-boarding screening arrangements remained up to date.
Border surveillance has also been intensified, with the Ministry of Health receiving advance information on passengers travelling to Barbados who may be considered high-risk.
“We receive pre-flight information [from source markets] on persons who may be of interest. And those persons are identified, interviewed and given the appropriate direction if they were to become ill,” he explained.
George explained that preparations began when the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the international public health emergency in late April and early May, prompting the ministry to review its existing arrangements and incorporate the latest information and guidance.
“What we did as a ministry is we always had an Ebola Response Plan. And our first action was to update the Ebola response plan based on new information that was provided to us,” he said.
The revised document was subsequently approved by the Cabinet of Barbados, which gave its full support to the proposed measures.
George said the plan covered several critical areas, including public engagement, management of suspected cases, communication with the public and medical fraternity, training in personal protective equipment (PPE), and the country’s isolation capabilities.
One of the major priorities has been ensuring that healthcare workers are properly equipped to identify and manage anyone suspected of carrying the virus.
Sensitisation exercises have been conducted repeatedly among frontline staff at all points of entry, as well as at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital’s Accident and Emergency Department.
George explained that particular attention had been paid to the hospital because an infected person could arrive in Barbados without being identified at the border and subsequently seek medical attention.
“We feel that if there was a case that would come to our border, if someone is sick, they may present to the Accident and Emergency Department,” he said.
The Chief Medical Officer stressed that the correct use of PPE would be essential in preventing transmission, particularly among healthcare professionals who could come into direct contact with infected patients.
With no approved vaccines or pharmaceutical treatments currently available, he said the most effective means of controlling an outbreak would be early identification, isolation and meticulous contact tracing.
“There are no approved vaccines or no approved medicines and pharmaceuticals for Ebola. And therefore the best way to control Ebola is scrupulous contact tracing,” he said.
George said the ministry would continue to monitor international developments. (BA)
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