– reports drop in average monthly deaths
THE Infectious Disease Ward (IDW) at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) is advancing safety precautions through the introduction of the N95 respirator. Head of the IDW, Dr. Sudheer Kumar, said over the last decade the average number of deaths has been reduced.
“We are making progress at the ward,” he told the Guyana Chronicle during an interview.
He explained that the N95 respirator is the most common of the seven types of particulate filtering face piece respirators. It filters at least 95 per cent of airborne particles but is not resistant to oil.
“Right now we are fitting staff for the N95,” Kumar said.
A respirator is a device designed to protect the wearer from inhaling harmful dusts, fumes, vapours, and/or gases. Respirators come in a wide range of types and sizes used by the military, private industry, and the public and they range from cheaper, single-use, disposable masks to reusable models with replaceable cartridges. There are two main categories: the air-purifying respirator, which forces contaminated air through a filtering element, and the air-supplied respirator, in which an alternate supply of fresh air is delivered. Within each category, different techniques are employed to reduce or eliminate noxious airborne contents.
Dr. Kumar pointed out that the fitting is being done in batches of 30, starting with IDW staff and later, in a month’s time, hopefully have all health workers in contact with persons that have an infectious disease fitted for the respirator.
Dr. Shirewatee Baboolaal, a laboratory specialist with the American Society of Micro-biologists is facilitating the fitting.
According to the Head of the IDW this undertaking is being done with support from the Centre for Disease Control (CDC) and the Ministry of Health.
Kumar, who has been with the IDW since 1999, said: “The IDW has a pretty wide coverage across the country…At the IDW we have 35 beds and deal with HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis (TB), which is very contagious.”
He added that at any one time there are 24 staffers, who are rotated every six months, working at the IDW.
In addition to HIV/AIDS and TB, Kumar said the ward addresses any other diseases associated with main focus.
He stated that on average the number of deaths per month at the IDW was between 20 and 50; and currently that has dropped to between three and four.
Kumar pointed out too that the IDW has also been successful in shortening the number of days a patient has to remain in the ward.
“We have efficient staffers who are working hard to have the necessary tests done in a timely manner so we can deliver better care to the patients, faster…our surveillance and reporting are also up to date,” he said.
Dr. Kumar said the number of people retuning to the ward has also reduced, an indication that after treatment they are doing well and access the follow up services that are available at health centres.
“What we noticed too is that the family members are not as stressed out, they have some confidence in the care we provide,” he said.
When asked, Kumar acknowledged that the primary challenge facing the IDW is the problem of stigma and discrimination.
“People, persons living with HIV/AIDS, have a big problem with stigma and discrimination, sometimes even in their own families,” he said, adding that with support from the Ministry of Health this is being addressed.
Other support, he said, takes the form of food hampers, financial support, housing support and home visits among others.
Other partners include the National AIDS Programme Secretariat (NAPS) and the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).
On the issue of staff training, Kumar noted that this is of utmost importance and health workers are involved in periodic training that extend to continuous professional development.
He stressed also that mechanisms are in place to take care of the needs of the staff associated with the IDW.
In particular, Kumar said pre-exposal and post-exposal prophylaxis treatments are available for any health worker that may be infected in the line of duty.
The Head of the IDW maintained that the ward is making progress in addressing the needs of the Guyanese people and enhancing the delivery of quality health care.