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‘We must do better for medical care in Family Islands’

FROM left, Manoli Constantakis, Mandie Constantakis and Trevon Roxbury.

FROM left, Manoli Constantakis, Mandie Constantakis and Trevon Roxbury.

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HEALTH and Wellness Minister Dr Michael Darville. Photo: Donavan McIntosh/Tribune Staff

By EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

AFTER a relative of a traffic fatality victim from Long Island complained about the level of care he received, Health and Wellness Minister Dr Michael Darville said he thinks “we must find a better way for emergency medical services” on the Family Islands.

The Tribune previously reported that Mandie Constantakis, 20, Trevon Roxbury, 18, and Manoli Constantakis, 18, were two minutes from home when their Nissan Infinity crashed into a residence in the settlement of Mangrove Bush around 9pm on Friday.

Roxbury and Mandie were pronounced dead at the scene, however Manoli was airlifted to New Providence where he later died from his injuries.

His mother, Amber Constantakis, said doctors in New Providence told her Manoli could have survived if he had been brought in sooner.

She said on Sunday that it took police and the doctor on the island more than an hour just to reach the scene of the crash and it took the nurse about an hour to get there. Mrs Constantakis said the air ambulance arrived for her son about five hours after the crash.

Yesterday, Dr Darville told reporters he had concerns about the state of emergency ground transportation on Family Islands.

“I do not know the extent whether or not the individual (would have) survived or not, but I am concerned with the fact that in our Family Islands ground transportation for medical emergencies needs major improvements,” he said.

He said he has visited all the clinics throughout the Family Islands and can say “unequivocally that something must be done”.

“I believe the days are gone when individuals who are in any sort of traumatic event are placed on the back of a truck and try to get to the facility or get to the airport. I believe we must do better. I think we must find a better way for emergency medical services on our Family Islands and as a matter of fact we intend to bring a paper to address that. Address the manpower shortages at our clinics. I’ve visited the clinics - there’s no handyman and a lot of things that need to be done around the clinic, preventative maintenance, all of these things are necessary and we’re moving in that direction.”

Dr Darville addressed the issue of funding to provide resources to these communities.

“One of the criteria for infrastructural upgrades in the Family islands in our clinics is tied in with an IDB loan. We are in the process of activating the parameters of that loan and resources will be provided through that loan facility to improve our clinics and look at the manpower resources as well as the physical plan and get them to a standard that I feel is consistent on what we need to provide throughout the country.”

He said officials are looking at ways to improve air ambulance transport from the Family Islands.

“We believe sometimes there is a lag time coming from New Providence and we must look at level one and level two degrees of trauma and we must do better. That’s all I can say, but I can tell you that this administration we’re looking at it and we intend to put some resources to try to correct it.”

Comments

DDK 2 years, 11 months ago

"One of the criteria for infrastructural upgrades in the Family islands in our clinics is tied in with an IDB loan. We are in the process of activating the parameters of that loan ............."

FNM/PLP/FNM/PLP BORROW/SPEND/STEAL/WASTE/BORROW/SPEND/STEAL/WASTE SSDD TALK/TALK/TALK. Little or nothing is ever improved.

Condolences to the families and friends of the three lost souls...

OMG 2 years, 11 months ago

Is Dr Darville aware that on several family islands there are self funded , efficient ambulance services manned by unpaid and unrecognised volunteers. These ministers fly around, shuttled around by the appropriate PLP or FNM lackys, hire car, free lunch but never care to meet these volunteers. The previous PLP government drew up plans, awarded contracts and paid a local contractor hundreds of thousands of dollars to level a hill for the proposed hospital in Palmetto Point. As per usual, pm visited with huge delegation, speeches,, etc etc and now P Point has a curry hill big enough to ski on, and of course no hospital.Money is wasted time and time again. On one family island the cost of a chartered medical flight to the capital varies enormously often with no official reciept being given. I very much doubt that anything will ever change.

M0J0 2 years, 11 months ago

yup the gov said building between the rock was dumb, when it was brilliant and being blocked by any winds and once graded properly from waters also.

OMG 2 years, 11 months ago

And bought from a local well known ex PLP minister, and nowhere the water.

DonAnthony 2 years, 11 months ago

Long Island received an ambulance yesterday….. from Aliv. Our Governments should hang their heads in shame how poorly our family island clinics are staffed and maintained.

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