Health and Wellness Minister Dr Michael Darville. Photo: Donavan McIntosh/Tribune staff
By EARYEL BOWLEG
Tribune Staff Reporter
ebowleg@tribunemedia.net
HEALTH Minister Dr Michael Darville said he would speak to administrators at Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre to see if something can be done to help individuals who are in dire need of admission to the facility.
While speaking on the sidelines of the Governor General’s visit to the facility, the minister was asked about Sandiland’s moratorium on admissions and whether there is a view to change it to allow for new admissions.
Dr Darville answered: “That question is a difficult question for me to answer. I would have to speak to the administrator because I really do not know the capacity and what the bed arrangements presently are at the facility, but is a concern because there are people out there who need services at Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre. But because of the pandemic it’s important for us to execute proper protocols at the facility to prevent the possibility of transmission in person-to-person spread.
“So I would speak to (the) administration to see exactly if some of those protocols could be looked into so that we could be able to help more individuals that are in dire need for admission.”
It was noted the team at Sandilands has, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Wellness, vaccinated patients and now has an overall vaccination rate among patients of 57 percent. The geriatric hospital management team has worked also on vaccination rates among patients in this age group and today geriatrics have a 90.2 percent vaccination rate.
Dr Darville also said there is a lot more work to do to address mental health in the country. Thus, he is committed to begin to look at the Mental Health Act which he described as a “dated piece of legislation that needs immediate attention”.
During the visit Governor General Sir Cornelius A Smith made a call to break the stigma around mental health.
“The time has now come for us as a nation to bring the stigma of mental (health issues) to an end. We must stop the discrimination against those with mental health (issues) and instead provide them with the same care, the same compassion and the same dignity that we give our family members who suffer with any other common illness,” he said.
Comments
TalRussell 2 years, 10 months ago
Curious as hell inquire as to exactly how suddenly it took right after accusing Premier "Brave" of being a dictator for someone from de former premier's inner circle to reach out de health minister to see if something can be done to help a certain individual who is in dire need of admission to such a UK Colony's operated room and board inclusive treatment facility after talking in mirror of himself and everything else like this and that ― Yes?
John 2 years, 10 months ago
Experts have warned that as the Covid-19 pandemic eases, there will be an increase in the number of people suffering from mental issues. These will include alcohol and substance abuse, anxiety, panic attacks and, unfortunately suicide and suicide attempts. As schools reopen, expect students presenting with behavioral problems that will include violence. Some will have no interest in school work and others may not attend school at all. So the health ministry should be about increasing the bed capacity at Sandilands , if only on a temporary basis and have a team of counselors ready to go to the various schools (family islands included) as necessary. Reports are that treatment for out patients of Sandilands has been reduced to just refills of medication for fear of the medical team contracting the virus.
Sickened 2 years, 10 months ago
excellent points.
carltonr61 2 years, 10 months ago
85% of our population is walking around with a syringe stuck in their heads whenever they see gambling colors, adds in newspaper or about to pay bills. Just the sight or mention of numbers and winning money causes that syringe to pump juice into their brain turning them into money wasting alking zombies. You can see them marching syringes in heads as they were never warned and educated that gambling is DSM-5 causing significant harm to person, finances,family, culture and society. Those affected by gambling should sue gaming houses for lost as they were never warned that gambling addiction is a Sandlilands matter. He needs beds for those hapless syringe heads.
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