Monday, November 2 2009

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Jerry Narace...

HEALTH MINISTER Jerry Narace disclosed that the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) has agreed to send an expert to this country to help Government to continue to improve strategies to deal with the Influenza H1N1 virus.

Narace made this revelation when he spoke on a matter on the adjournment on Friday night which was raised by Caroni East MP Dr Tim Gopeesingh in the House of Representatives.

The minister said only on Friday morning, he was discussing additional strategies to deal with the virus with PAHO officials and it was agreed that PAHO would send an expert to assist Government in this regard. Stating that there is an adequate supply of the Tamiflu vaccine in the country, Narace said the ministry has received 25,000 doses for children.

Stating that local health care professionals have received training from Mexico about treating H1N1, Narace said, “Each case is under the clinical judgement of the citizen.”

Referring to the various communications media used by Government to inform the public about H1N1, Narace assured the population, “We were prepared for this pandemic long before it occurred.” He added that the tents placed outside of health facilities to screen persons believed to be infected with the virus were working effectively.

Earlier, Gopeesingh expressed concern about major hospitals being overcrowded with persons suffering from the virus. He called for all district health centres to be equipped with the facilities to test for H1N1 and for children to be separated from adults when they are being tested for the virus.