Health

Increased Capacity For Cancer Screening & Diagnostics

With the Increased Capacity For Cancer Screening & Diagnostics designation of the Best-dos Santos Public Health Laboratory as a World Health Organization (WHO) National Influenza Centre, the Ministry of Health and Wellness is looking to enhance its capacity for the early detection and treatment of cancer, which is among the top 10 causes of deaths in Barbados.

Minister of State in the Ministry of Health and Wellness, Davidson Ishmael, made this disclosure at a ceremony on Monday, which also recognised the laboratory as a member of the WHO’s Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System.

The laboratory, which started operating in 2018, was integral in the national response to the COVID-19 pandemic, conducting over hundreds of thousands of tests during the last three years.

Mr. Ishmael said that as the Ministry of Health expands its capacity to monitor noncommunicable diseases, including cancer, surveillance and enhanced diagnostics would be key to addressing early detection and monitoring.

To this end, he explained that the Barbados Living Laboratory Project was established and will be instrumental in the area of cancer research.

“The goal of the Living Lab is to provide enhanced laboratory services in Barbados in areas of cancer diagnostics, which includes immunohistochemistry staining, analysis of cancer biomarkers, flow cytometry, genetic testing, and more.

“The Ministry of Health Wellness is enhancing its capacity for early detection and treatment of cancers through updated cancer screening guidelines and diagnosis, including genomic sequencing for cancers or respiratory viruses, such as COVID-19 and influenza A and B. More specifically, and relative to cancer screening, the Ministry has engaged urologists to devise a screening protocol for prostate cancer, while simultaneously working with our partners at the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) to update our cervical cancer screening guidelines, and this is currently under expert review,” he disclosed.

He further noted that a screening protocol for breast cancer is being created and guidelines to improve colorectal cancer screening were being developed. Additionally, he said the Ministry has created an initiative which will strengthen screening by enhancing laboratory capacity and improving access to colonoscopies.

The Minister of State also shared that protocols have been developed in collaboration with local gastroenterologists and additional resources have been mobilised at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) to purchase new scopes. The matter of the number of scoping suites was also being addressed, he said.

Moreover, he stated that the Best-dos Santos Public Health Laboratory would work closely with the QEH laboratory to strengthen the national efforts towards antimicrobial resistance surveillance and monitoring.

“Barbados has a long history of prioritising public health. Today is indeed a momentous occasion, as we gather to recognise the Best-dos Santos Public Health Laboratory as the WHO National Influenza Centre. This achievement is a testament to the hard work, dedication, and commitment of countless numbers of heroes who are, on a daily basis, involved in ensuring the health and well being of our citizens,” Mr. Ishmael said. (PR/GIS)

Health

Antimicrobial Resistance Week, Mon Nov 18 – Sun Nov 24

Health

More Nurses Arrive From Ghana

Barbados’ nursing complement has been boosted with the arrival of 155 nurses from Ghana at the Grantley Adams International Airport, yesterday.

The nurses, who were accompanied by Ghana’s Deputy Minister of Health, Adelaide Ntim, were greeted by Minister of Health and Wellness, Senator Dr. The Most Honourable Jerome Walcott, and other officials.

This is the third cohort of Ghanaian nurses to be dispatched to Barbados since 2020, to address the local nursing shortage. Ninety-five nurses came in the first group during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, while 120 more arrived in 2022, some of whom are still employed here and have made Barbados their home.

Minister Walcott explained that the nurses would be assigned to various specialty areas of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital and the Ministry of Health and Wellness’ primary care facilities. These areas include cardiology, accident and emergency theatre, midwifery, psychiatric medicine, and geriatrics.

“So, we’re looking for these nurses to help improve the overall delivery of our healthcare,” stated Dr. Walcott.

Ms. Ntim said Ghana had a surplus of nurses, some of whom were not even employed. She said she welcomed the partnership with Barbados.

The Deputy Minister of Health added that nurses from the previous cohorts proved that they were more than capable of doing their jobs, and expressed confidence that the most recent cohort would also “deliver”. (PR/GIS)

Caption: Minister of Health and Wellness, Senator Dr. The Most Honourable Jerome Walcott, in discussion with Ghana’s Deputy Minister of Health, Adelaide Ntim, at the Grantley Adams International Airport yesterday. Senator Walcott was on hand to welcome 155 Ghanaian nurses to Barbados

Health

CHANGES TO HEALTH CARE SYSTEM

The Ministry of Health will soon roll out a number of changes to the island’s primary healthcare system, in order to drastically address the high numbers of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) seen among the Barbadian population.
This announcement was made by Senior Minister of Health and Wellness, the Most Honourable Dr. Jerome Walcott, as he presented a token of appreciation to Dr. Trevor Hassell in recognition of his outstanding efforts in educating Barbadians on the importance of addressing non-communicable diseases NCDs.
Walcott said, “I have a personal mandate that we should try to reduce the premature adult mortality from NCDs by a third. It is not impossible, it can be done, and in the course of the next few weeks, you will gradually see a roll out of parts of this process.”

He stressed “You will see the plans for primary healthcare; everybody is focused on QEH and tertiary healthcare, but the fundamentals of healthcare have to do with primary healthcare. The ability of early prevention, detection to get better health outcomes. We are looking at that in a project to be discussed soon.”
The Health Minister also revealed that additional screening for a variety of NCDs and cancers will also be made available.
“Within the ministry we are looking at a number of screening processes. We are looking to roll out before the end of this month a colonic screening process initially in two polyclinics, and thereafter we expand. We are looking at a cervical cancer screening process; we are looking at providing mammography services within the QEH again as was previously done up until 2008 where persons can have access to mammograms again for early detection and treatment for cancers.