Regional Health Officer Dr. Gregory Harris, is contending that the regional drug bond which stores drugs and personal protective equipment amongst other medical material, is adequately stocked, in contrast to recent claims that there is a shortage of drugs and medical apparatus within the region to effectively manage the COVID-19 unit.
In a recent statement, elected leaders of Region 10 claimed, “Further, the shortage of much needed and necessary equipment, medical apparatus and the required amount of technical apparatus and medicines to effectively and efficiently manage an increase of COVID- 19 patients, is most worrisome.”
INFO 10 made checks to the storage bond, the COVID-19 unit and several health facilities across Linden with the RHO and these institutions are adequately supplied with the necessary drugs and PPE gears. “We are trying to maintain 90 percent stock level across the region, right now our bond is full, we have to be utilising other spaces and so for this reason we have to rent a warehouse so that we can effectively store because MMU (Material Management Bond), still has stuff for us to collect, so when it comes to these things we have it in abundance and they are also being effectively distributed to the health facilities, so the stock level at these institutions is also high,” Dr. Harris said.
Dr. Harris claims that request for drugs from the MMU is always approved and expeditiously processed, so that the region can maintain that high level.
Relative to management of the COVID-19 Unit, Dr. Harris said it is fully equipped to handle cases, but presently there is no patient at the facility. In the eventuality of patients being admitted, he posited that there are more than enough personnel to provide the necessary care.
Relative to equipment, the RHO related that the hospital is in possession of two functional ventilators, two oxygen concentrators and over 15(100 pounds) cylinders of oxygen.
The region is also in receipt of a steady supply of vaccines and residents who desire to get vaccinated can access the different kinds of vaccines at the various vaccination sites across Region 10. The vaccination rate continues to see a steady increase and is now at 25 percent. The Ministry of Education in collaboration with the Ministry of Health has also rolled out the adolescent vaccination programme which is seeing scores of students between the ages of 12 and 17 being vaccinated.
The RHO calls on elected officials to fact check before making baseless claims about the medical situation within the region, which can be deemed mischievous.
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