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Cystic Fibrosis awareness campaign

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Written by CBC NEWS Friday, 19 April 2013 18:28

Several awareness programmes are to be rolled out targeting communities and schools to make them aware of cystic fibrosis.

Leading this drive will be the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation of Barbados which was officially launched at the Barbados Yacht Club.

Cystic fibrosis is a life threatening disease caused by a single defective gene which causes the body to produce sticky mucus.

There is however no cure.

President of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation of Barbados, Michael Turton says the disease is expensive to manage.

He says his organization will be seeking to raise some much needed funds and is looking to partner with government.

He is hopeful that a cystic fibrosis centre could be established in Barbados in the future.

And Minister of Health, John Boyce in welcoming the organization spoke of the importance of fostering good relationships between NGO's and his ministry.

QEH steps up infection control

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Written by CBC NEWS Friday, 19 April 2013 12:14

The Queen Elizabeth Hospital has trained over three hundred staff members in hand hygiene and appointed a consultant to lead its infection control team.

This, as it implements recommendations made by the infectious diseases team from the Pan American Health Organisation.

The team was called in earlier this month after the klebsiella pneumoniae bacteria was found at the hospital.

The newly appointed consultant, Dr Corey Forde says they will enforce simple practices like washing or sanitizing hands before contact with patients and increasing the number of times housekeeping staff clean areas where patients with severe infections are located.

The training sessions will continue for the next two weeks, and critical care units have also increased screening of all patients on entry and exit of the units.

In addition, 50 additional alcohol hand sanitizers were mounted last week and over 100 more will be installed over the weekend in the main public areas and the entrances to wards and cubicles.

Better monitoring of nursing homes

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Written by CBC NEWS Wednesday, 17 April 2013 13:29

Minister of Health, John Boyce says the Ministry of Health will be strengthening its surveillance of nursing homes to ensure that they are operating in line with the health services regulations.

Speaking at the start of a three day workshop for healthcare practitioners Mr. Boyce explained that as the number of nursing homes continued to rise, there was a need for strengthening monitoring and quality assurance systems.

He added that this did not only apply to private nursing homes but any institution which was part of the island's geriatric care system.

Minister Boyce says government is currently undertaking a review of the inspection process to ensure that nursing homes, senior citizens' homes, inclusive of day care facilities and private hospitals, met the minimum requirements set out in the regulations.

Man Up

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Written by CBC NEWS Wednesday, 17 April 2013 11:21

The Caribbean Broadcast Media Partnership has launched an initiative aimed at young Barbadian men.

It's a video competition where young men can have their say on matters related to HIV and AIDS and what it means to be a man today.

The competition is a collaborative effort between the CBMP and UNAIDS,

The Live up/ UNAIDS Man Up video competition reaches out to young men ages 18 to 24. 

It encourages them to create original two minute videos highlighting their views. 

It is hoped that entrants will express their perception of eliminating stigma and discrimination as it relates to issues of masculinity, sex and HIV. 

The competition follows a highly successful Man a Man competition held in Jamaica last year.

Executive director of the Caribbean Broadcast Media Partnership, Dr Allyson Leacock is optimistic Man Up will engage youth dialogue. 

Director of UNAIDS regional support team, Dr Ernest Massiah welcomed the competition. 

He says what the youth has to say is important. 

And chairman of the CBMP, Dr Carol Jacobs says her organisation is embracing the use of social media in an effort to reach out to Barbadian youth. 

The Live Up Man Up competition closes at midnight June 17th.