A Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) team, which visited this country last week, says T&T is over prepared for Ebola. The team was here to monitor this country’s preparation for the virus. Health Minister Fuad Khan, in an interview yesterday, said a team from the organisation visited the Caura Hospital and was satisfied with the measures being implemented at the facility to deal with the Ebola virus in this country.
“We are over ready,” Khan said he was told. He said the PAHO team described the “negative pressure” system installed at the hospital as world class. Khan was also asked to comment on a report by Caribbean 360 which said the first Caribbean national was tested positive for Ebola on Friday. The report said Cuban doctor, Felix Baez, who was among other Cuban doctors on the frontlines of the battle against Ebola in Sierra Leone tested positive for the virus.
Khan said such unfortunate incidents can be expected sometimes. He said it was also unfortunate because Cuba had been attempting to lead the way in the fight against the virus. Asked if it would cause T&T to make any changes in its policy, Khan said no. He said everything was being done to ensure that were are prepared for the Ebola virus and PAHO was happy with the initiatives being implemented here.
Khan also repeated statements that two nationals were being quarantined at their respective homes in undisclosed communities after returning from west African countries recently.
He said the unidentified nationals did not have Ebola but “were just being observed because they returned from (unnamed) west African countries recently.” Khan said the quarantine wards at Caura Hospital had no patients. It was opened last month following a Cabinet decision to purchase certain equipment to assist in the fight against the virus.
Khan said it would be inappropriate to identify the people or the communities where they are because it would only lead to unnecessary panic and alarm in the country. He insisted the two nationals “were only being observed because they were in those countries. There is no Ebola issue.”
All people arriving from certain Ebola-affected west African countries have to undergo a three week quarantine period at the Cuara Hospital. Khan said while there were no people in quarantine at that facility now, consideration is being given to setting up one-way mirrors so there can be “user-friendly” communication with the victims. Khan indicated it would be difficult for a victim to be quarantined for 21 days and not have anyone to talk to.