Basseterre, St. Kitts, 25th August 2023 (ZIZ Newsroom): The Ministry of Health has announced the appointment of Dr. Daveen Wilkin as the new Medical Chief of Staff for Institutional-Based Health Services effective Monday, 28th August.
Dr. Wilkin will oversee medical operations and lead the medical team with the aim of ensuring the highest standards of healthcare delivery across the organization.
Dr. Wilkin told ZIZ News in her new position her primary focus will be the staff of the health institutions.
“This position gives me the opportunity to focus on improving staff morale while working with the executive to enhance training programs as well as to contribute towards the organization’s drive towards accreditation,” she said. “Quality health care is extremely important and begins with a skilled and motivated staff. It is my aim to cultivate an environment where our staff feels valued and equipped to provide exceptional care.”
Dr. Daveen Wilkin is a licensed medical specialist, having graduated from the Carlos Finley University of Medical Sciences in Camaguey, Cuba, with a specialization in Anesthesiology, Reanimation, and Pain Management.
In addition to her medical degree, Dr. Wilkin holds a Master’s in Health Administration, focusing on hospital management, from Walden University in Maryland, USA.
The Administration of Institutional-Based Health Services and the entire Ministry of Health has extended heartfelt congratulations to Dr. Wilkin as she steps into this new leadership role.
]]>Basseterre, St. Kitts, July 17, 2020 (SKNIS): As the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis continues to further safeguard itself from the COVID-19 virus, quarantining remains at a government facility.
This was announced by the Medical Chief of Staff at the JNF General Hospital, Dr. Cameron Wilkinson, during his appearance on the Leadership Matters virtual form series on July 14.
“Initially when we were addressing this pandemic, persons were being quarantined at home, but we had problems with persons not taking the personal responsibility and obeying the rules of quarantine,” he said.
“We were getting calls about seeing persons downtown, on the beaches, etc. when they were supposed to be in quarantine and that is one of the reasons why in order to contain the virus, we had to move to strict quarantine, putting persons in a government facility so that we can properly manage these persons,” said Dr. Wilkinson.
He said, “It would be impossible for us to have 50 persons quarantined at home and having to have our security forces stretched in 50 different locations to ensure that these persons stay in quarantine.”
“We are again looking at the quarantine and looking to see whether or not we can extend the quarantine facilities,” said the Medial Chief of Staff.
“You would be aware that the students who were repatriated for Ross University, they are quarantined at the school in the housing complex and it is very easy for us to have security guards at that one complex where you can monitor over a hundred persons in one area,” he said.
“If we are going to be looking at home quarantine, the place would have to be visited first by the health officials to see whether or not there is sufficient room inside that dwelling so that persons can properly quarantine themselves,” Dr. Wilkinson highlighted.
“They would be looking at the population density within that house because one cannot come into a family suspected of being COVID positive and being quarantined in a two bedroom house when there are ten persons living within there,” he said.
“So, we will have to look at the facility to see whether someone can quarantine within that facility,” said the Medical Chief of Staff.
“These are things that are being discussed but no decisions are being made on them as yet,” he said. “Hopefully going forward with the personal responsibility that we are expecting persons to take and if persons obey the quarantine rules, we would be able to expand the number of places where persons can be quarantined.”
]]>Basseterre, St. Kitts, July 15, 2020 (SKNIS): Quarantine procedures for persons travelling to St. Kitts and Nevis are being reviewed ahead of the eventual reopening of the borders to regional and international air passengers.
Returning nationals and residents on charter flights are the only persons currently allowed to enter the island. Applications for special groups will be considered. Such was the case earlier this month when scores of students from the Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine were allowed back to continue their studies.
Every traveller is tested before arriving in the country and again immediately after entry. A 14-day mandatory quarantine in a government-designated facility follows and then another test on the 14th day. These protocols largely remain unchanged. What is under review is the stay in the government-designated facility.
“Quarantine site categories will be looked at including certified hotels, pre-approved home quarantine, government and other facilities,” said Dr Cameron Wilkinson, Medical Chief of Staff of the Joseph N. France General Hospital.
The statement was made on Tuesday night (July 15) during the Leadership Matters Virtual Forum Series that airs on ZIZ Radio and Television as well as other media outlets.
Home quarantine of suspected cases was utilized in March and April. However, Dr Wilkinson explained that the measure had its challenges as some individuals deliberately broke quarantine. This prompted authorities to end the practice.
The reintroduction of home quarantine will depend on several factors Dr Wilkinson stated. Health authorities will have to visit the site and assess its effectiveness to isolate a suspected case as well as the risk to any other individual (s) in the household. There is also the consideration of the manpower needed to patrol/secure the household to prevent the quarantined individual from leaving the premises.
The use of technology is one tool that will be employed to help manage the process.
“We will also be utilizing an app for tracking persons that has geofencing capabilities,” the medical chief of staff indicated.
Geofencing is a location-based service that alerts users and administrators when a virtual boundary is entered or exited. Dr Wilkinson said that the app “will be mandatory for all travellers.”
“These are things that are being discussed, and no decision has been made on them as yet,” he added. “Hopefully going forward, with the personal responsibility that we are expecting persons to take and if persons obey the quarantine rules, we would be able to expand the number of places where persons can be quarantined.”
No date has yet been announced when the borders will reopen.
]]>Basseterre, St. Kitts, July 15, 2020 (SKNIS): Dr. Cameron Wilkinson, Medical Chief of Staff at the Joseph Nathaniel France General Hospital, said that the Federation must learn to live with the Coronavirus as it is not going anywhere anytime soon.
Dr. Wilkinson made this statement during his appearance on the virtual forum series “Leadership Matters” on July 14.
Here in the Federation there are 17 confirmed cases, 15 recovered and two active now, he said.
“The virus is not going anywhere and the reality now is that we have to learn to live with it,” he said. “We however, cannot afford to drop our guard and become complacent as I saw happening over the last few weeks.”
The Medical Chief of Staff stated that the two recent cases should serve as a wake-up call.
In light of this, questions are still being posed to health officials on when to open the borders. Dr. Wilkinson said that persons should be aware that lifting the borders will come with a risk of importation of the virus.
“If we are to aim for zero risks with the virus entering the federation we will have to wait for an effective vaccine and immunity of our population,” he said. “That will not be for another year with the most optimistic expectations. It is neither realistic nor desirable to aim for zero risks.”
“Zero risks will require continued closure of our borders and the concomitant economic hardships that will come with that position. We cannot survive the virus, but die from social and economic hardships,” said the Medical Chief of Staff.
Dr. Wilkinson said that there are several pertinent questions to ask before the borders can be opened.
“The questions to be asked are how long can we survive economically with continued closure of our borders bearing in mind that tourism is our major income generator, what level of risks are we willing to accept in opening our borders and what measures can we put in place to mitigate these risks,” he said.
The Medical Chief of Staff emphasized that it must be clear to all that as attempts are made to get back to some sense of normalcy and generate social and economic activity in the country, that the nation will have to live with COVID-19.
“We got your support in successfully containing the first wave of the virus and we are calling upon you again to fight in the second wave to contain the virus,” he said. “This has to be an all of society approach for us to be successful. This is not merely a health decision as some believe.”
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