The Ministry of Health and Wellness is ready to handle a public health crisis should one arise, during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.

Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Dr. The Most Honourable Kenneth George, shared the ministry’s strategy to address any disease outbreaks. The frontlines to tackle and mitigate threats will be the island’s ports of entry – the airport and seaport.

The CMO emphasised that port health would be one of the four major areas of concern where surveillance would be stepped up during the World Cup, and noted that officials would be monitoring persons entering the island for various diseases.

These include measles, which means they will be looking for travelers exhibiting symptoms such as fever and rash. Dr. George indicated that Barbados’ immunisation level for measles, a highly contagious disease, is still not at the required 95 per cent, making the island susceptible to an outbreak.

Tuberculosis, malaria and monkeypox will also be on heath authorities’ radar. Malaria has a “quiet” or incubation period, so persons can travel and develop symptoms while on island.

“So even Ebola and I’m not trying to scare anyone, but we must consider all possibilities. We have strengthened our port health surveillance, so we have done a lot of training of not only Port Health staff, but all allied staff associated with our ports of entry, whether it be the taxi drivers, Immigration and Customs officials, the full operations at the ports of entry have been addressed,” Dr. George disclosed.

“We have strengthened our port health surveillance, so we have done a lot of training of not only Port Health staff, but all allied staff associated with our ports of entry, whether it be the taxi drivers, Immigration and Customs officials, the full operations at the ports of entry have been addressed.” Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Dr. The Most Honourable Kenneth George

He continued: “It’s important that we have a port health presence and we try to identify cases coming through our borders early. We’ll do this by making sure we go through our passenger listings, making sure we understand where the passengers are coming from because many of the persons are not coming from our traditional markets; like North America, Europe and Canada. They are coming from some unusual places. So, our Port Health has to understand their travel history and identify disease processes very early to make the appropriate intervention, rather than individuals having to be put into care, quarantine or placed in isolation.”

Another area where the Ministry will be increasing surveillance is vector control; mosquito and rat reduction, in particular. It has stepped up its rat baiting programme in the areas within and around Bridgetown and Kensington.

Environmental Health Officers will be working overtime to ensure the success of the programme by doing the appropriate baiting in an effort to reduce the rat population.  Additionally, the Vector Control Unit will also be moving into high gear with its mosquito eradication programme.

Food handling during World Cup will receive the full attention of Ministry officials. The Chief Medical Officer explained that while he appreciates everyone will be “trying their hand” at making extra money by preparing and selling food, they must do so in a safe environment.

“So, here is the Ministry of Health’s position; hand washing is the most important infection prevention and control tool you can use to prevent the spread of disease. Wash your hands (for 20 seconds) all of the time, particularly after using the bathroom, before handling food, after handling food, before serving food, after serving food.

“Make sure that hot foods are kept hot, and hot foods are kept above 140 degrees Fahrenheit, and 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below for cold foods, and we should not mix uncooked with cooked foods. Food handlers should also make sure utensils in the kitchen are well sanitised and clean and all the surfaces where food is prepared should also be sanitised and clean,” Dr. George emphasised.

He added that Environmental Health Officers will be out “in full force” to monitor food handlers and vendors, and they will be enforcing the laws of Barbados when it comes to the quality of food being sold. This includes condemning and destroying unsuitable food sources and food items, he said.

Food handlers must have a certificate from a polyclinic indicating that they can handle and prepare food. For more commercial type operations, they need to have a restaurant licence, to make sure that the food operation is conducting business in the appropriate manner.

Food handlers must have a certificate from a polyclinic indicating that they can handle and prepare food. For more commercial type operations, they need to have a restaurant licence, to make sure that the food operation is conducting business in the appropriate manner.

The Ministry will also be monitoring the behavioural practices of the public during World Cup, including cautioning persons against risky sexual behaviour, as well as excessive alcohol use.

The CMO “strongly” advised against people taking too many risks which they might regret or result in placing people’s lives in danger. He said excessive alcohol intake could cause irresponsible behaviour.

Dr. George urged people, both local and visitors alike, to protect themselves by using condoms if they are unsure of their sexual partners.

He said the Ministry of Health and Wellness will be providing emergency services on the day of the matches; ambulances and first aid services will be available. The ambulances used during Cricket World Cup will be separate from those catering to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

“So Barbadians won’t be told ‘Oh, it’s Cricket World Cup and the ambulances can’t can come now’. We are covering our bases and we will be working with the private sector.… We’re not going to compromise the health care of our citizens during World Cup,” the CMO shared.

He added that health officials have undergone training, drills and simulations with the help of the Department of Emergency Management, the Barbados Defence Force, the Pan American Health Organization and the Caribbean Public Health Agency for any eventuality, ranging from disease outbreaks to disaster scenarios, including stampedes and the possibility of stands collapsing.

Dr. George said if there is an outbreak, the six-bed Infection Control Unit across from the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Martindales Road, St. Michael, would be utilised.

Health officials have undergone training, drills and simulations with the help of the Department of Emergency Management, the Barbados Defence Force, the Pan American Health Organization and the Caribbean Public Health Agency for any eventuality, ranging from disease outbreaks to disaster scenarios, including stampedes and the possibility of stands collapsing.

“We scaled up that [when there was a threat of Ebola] so that can take the most infectious diseases. Harrison’s Point [in St. Lucy] will be coming into play only if there is an overwhelming threat. We have 120 beds there that are available to take patients. We have the capacity to scale-up quickly. And the final thing is the Field Medical Hospital which we are so proud of in Barbados, which is led by the Barbados Defence Force.

“They have been doing a lot of work and they are open for business during all matches. So that if there is a surge we will be able to handle that. So, the Field Medical Hospital will be used more for like a mass casualty incident, and Harrison’s Point for more infectious-type disease. We have to think positively as we put all these mitigation efforts in place,” he said.

The Chief Medical Officer reminded the public that there are no vaccine requirements for people travelling to Barbados. (PR/GIS)