Kingston, Jamaica — Permanent Secretary in the Health Ministry, Dr Kevin Harvey, assured residents of communities in the surrounding areas of the National Chest Hospital that they will not be affected by the hospital’s operations as an Ebola treatment centre.
Dr Harvey noted that all hospitals across the island are in close proximity to communities and the systems that are in place, which meet international standards, are with a view to protecting the health of people in surrounding areas, a release from the Ministry of Health said.
“We have been treating cases of tuberculosis and a myriad of other infectious diseases as this was primarily what the National Chest Hospital was built for,” Dr Harvey told residents of Barbican Terrace, Barbican, Hope Pastures, Stand Pipe, Mona, Cedar Valley and Ravinia during a community sensitisation meeting at the hospital Wednesday night.
He also pointed out that, “There has never been any negative effect on anyone in surrounding communities. The systems we have in place to manage hospital operations including waste management are in line with international standards,”
“Hospital waste does not go out in the normal domestic waste disposal systems and so would not affect surrounding communities,” Dr Harvey added.
He appealed to residents to ensure that they play their part in assisting with the country’s preparedness and response activities where Ebola is concerned.
“I have to stress that Ebola is a very serious disease and so everyone has to come together and play a part to ensure that the country is prepared,” Dr Harvey said.