INTRODUCTION
MR. SPEAKER, I RISE IN THIS HONOURABLE HOUSE TODAY TO SPEAK TO A VERY IMPORTANT MATTER THAT SHOULD BE OF CONCERN TO EVERY JAMAICAN. THE HEALTH OF OUR CITIZENS AND THE PERCEPTION OF THE VALUE OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH SYSTEM HAVE TO BE TAKEN VERY SERIOUS NO MATTER OUR AFFILIATION.
I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE IRRESPONSIBLE UTTERANCES THAT HAVE COME FROM CERTAIN SEGMENTS OF THE SOCIETY. MR. SPEAKER, THIS CAN ONLY SERVE TO HURT OUR COUNTRY AND ALL OF US AS JAMAICANS.
THE IMPORTANCE OF THE HEALTH SECTOR
MR. SPEAKER, I WANT TO POINT OUT THAT THE HEALTH SECTOR OPERATES ON THE USE OF CREDIBLE EVIDENCE TO SUBSTANTIATE OUR ANALYSES AND CONCLUSIONS. ANYTHING TO THE CONTRARY IS SIMPLY UNACCEPTABLE. THIS DOES NOT ONLY OBTAIN HERE IN JAMAICA BUT IT IS WHAT MAINTAINS GLOBALLY.
THEREFORE, MR. SPEAKER, TO ANNOUNCE, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT THERE IS ZIKA VIRUS IN JAMAICA WHEN THERE IS NO SUCH EVIDENCE HAS TO BE CATEGORISED AS PUBLIC MISCHIEF. WHEN WE DO THINGS LIKE THAT MR. SPEAKER, WE NOT ONLY SEND OUR CITIZENS INTO PANIC BUT WE BREAK DOWN THEIR TRUST IN THE HEALTH SYSTEM, OUR INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS DO NOT VIEW US FAVOURABLY, THERE ARE IMPLICATIONS FOR OTHER INDUSTRIES SUCH AS TOURISM AND EVEN THE SMALL MAN ON THE STREET WHO PLIES HIS WARES.
WHEN YOU VILLAINISE A COMMUNITY PEOPLE STAY AWAY AND VIEW IT WITH SCORN; THE SAME APPLIES TO ANY HEALTH FACILITY AND EVEN THE COUNTRY. WE CANNOT CONTINUE LIKE THIS MR. SPEAKER, IT IS TIME THAT WE GIVE THIS IMPORTANT SECTOR THE RESPECT IT DESERVES. IF WE SAY WE ARE IN FAVOUR OF GROWTH AND PROSPERITY FOR JAMAICA, WE HAVE TO BUILD UP AND NOT BREAK DOWN OUR ASSETS AND HEALTH HAS BEEN ONE OF OUR BIGGEST ASSETS.
YES THERE ARE CHALLENGES, BUT WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO OVERCOME THEM WITHOUT A UNITED EFFORT. I APPEAL TO OUR CITIZENS TO DESIST FROM POLITICISING HEALTH; IT IS TOO IMPORTANT A SECTOR TO BE USED IN THIS WAY. HELP US TO BUILD THE HEALTH SECTOR AS THIS IS THE ONLY WAY THAT WE CAN TRULY MOVE TOWARDS BUILDING JAMAICA, MEETING OUR DEVELOPMENT OBJECTIVES AND IMPROVING THE LIVES OF OUR CITIZENS.
MR SPEAKER, NO GOVERNMENT CAN BE AGAINST CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISMS AND SOLUTION ORIENTED RECOMMENDATIONS. NO GOVERNMENT CAN BE AGAINST CONSTRUCTIVE ENGAGEMENT THAT WILL HELP TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF HEALTH CARE FOR OUR PEOPLE, BUT WE MUST STOUTLY REJECT ANY ATTEMPT TO SCORE POLITICAL POINTS THAT WILL NEGATIVELY IMPACT THE HEALTH AND WELLBEING OF THE JAMAICAN PEOPLE.
ZIKA VIRUS
MR. SPEAKER, I AM COMPELLED TO AGAIN ADDRESS THE RUMOURS BEING PERPETUATED IN SEVERAL QUARTERS THAT THERE ARE CASES OF ZIKA VIRUS IN JAMAICA. I STRESS ONCE MORE THAT AT THIS TIME, BASED ON ADVICE FROM MY TECHNICAL TEAM, THERE IS NO ZIKA VIRUS IN JAMAICA. I HAVE HEARD TALKS THAT SOMEONE FROM A PARTICULAR COMMUNITY IN ST. CATHERINE WAS INFECTED – AGAIN THERE IS NO SUCH EVIDENCE THAT ANYONE FROM THAT PARISH OR ANY OTHER HAS BEEN INFECTED WITH THE ZIKA VIRUS. THE INFORMATION WE HAVE IS THAT OUTSIDE OF BRAZIL, THERE HAVE BEEN NO ZIKA VIRUS CASES CONFIRMED IN ANY COUNTRY IN THE LATIN AMERICAN AND CARIBBEAN REGION INCLUDING JAMAICA.
THE SAMPLE THAT WE SENT TO THE CARIBBEAN PUBLIC HEALTH AGENCY (CARPHA) FOR TESTING FOR CHIKUNGUNYA, DENGUE AND ZIKA CAME BACK NEGATIVE FOR ALL THREE VIRUSES. THE MEDIA WOULD WELL REMEMBER THAT A PRESS RELEASE ADVISING THE COUNTRY ABOUT THIS WAS DONE LAST WEEK BY MY MINISTRY.
MR. SPEAKER, THE CARPHA LABORATORY IS THE REFERENCE LABORATORY FOR THE CARIBBEAN AND IS THE ONLY LAB THAT CAN CONFIRM TEST RESULTS FOR THE ZIKA VIRUS AND OTHERS OF THIS NATURE.
I INVITE MY COLLEAGUES TO CONTACT THE MINISTRY AND EVEN CARPHA IF THEY WISH TO VERIFY ANY REPORTS THAT THEY MAY HAVE GOTTEN ABOUT ZIKA AND OTHER VIRUSES IN JAMAICA. HOWEVER, I ASSURE YOU THAT IF WE DO CONFIRM A CASE OF ZIKA IN THE COUNTRY AS IS CUSTOMARY IN THESE SITUATIONS THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH WILL INFORM THE COUNTRY PROMPTLY.
MR. SPEAKER, THIS IS THE PERIOD WHEN WE GENERALLY SEE AN INCREASE IN MOSQUITO-BORNE DISEASES. THE RAIN ON THE WEEKEND HAS NO DOUBT PROVIDED THE ENVIRONMENT FOR MOSQUITOES TO BREED AND AS YOU KNOW DENGUE AND CHIKUNGUNYA CONTINUE TO CIRCULATE IN JAMAICA.
WE THEREFORE URGE PERSONS TO DESTROY MOSQUITO BREEDING SITES AND PROTECT THEMSELVES FROM MOSQUITO BITES. WE CONTINUE TO STRESS THAT INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY IS IMPORTANT WITH RESPECT TO THIS MATTER AS THE AEDES AEGYPTI MOSQUITO WHICH SPREADS THESE VIRUSES PRIMARILY BREEDS IN AREAS WHERE PEOPLE LIVE, WORK, PLAY WORSHIP AND GENERALLY CONGREGATE.
HAND, FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE
MR. SPEAKER THERE HAS BEEN SOME CONFUSION BETWEEN THE FOOT AND MOUTH OR HOOF AND MOUTH DISEASE AND THE PRESENT HAND, FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE WHICH IS NOW AFFECTING SOME OF OUR CHILDREN. ALLOW ME TO MAKE THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN THE TWO.
MR. SPEAKER, HOOF AND MOUTH OR FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE VIRUS (FMDV) PRIMARILY AFFECTS CLOVEN-HOOVED LIVESTOCK AND WILDLIFE SUCH AS CATTLE, PIGS, SHEEP AND GOATS. HUMANS CAN BE INFECTED WITH FOOT-AND-MOUTH DISEASE THROUGH CONTACT WITH INFECTED ANIMALS, BUT THIS IS EXTREMELY RARE.
HAND, FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE IS OFTEN MISTAKEN FOR FMVD BECAUSE OF THE SIMILARITY IN THE NAME. HOWEVER, HFMD OCCURS IN HUMANS, ESPECIALLY IN YOUNG CHILDREN – UNDER 5 YEARS – AND NOT ANIMALS; THE CAUSE IS THE COXSACKIE VIRUS WHICH BELONGS TO THE ENTEROVIRUSES AND IS DIFFERENT FROM FMDV CAUSED BY THE GROUP OF APHTHOVIRUS. BECAUSE FMDV RARELY INFECTS HUMANS, BUT SPREADS RAPIDLY AMONG ANIMALS, IT IS A MUCH GREATER THREAT TO THE AGRICULTURE INDUSTRY THAN TO HUMAN HEALTH. FMDV IS PRESENTLY NOT IN JAMAICA.
MR. SPEAKER, WHAT WE ARE DEALING WITH NOW IS HAND, FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE WHICH IS AFFECTING SOME EARLY CHILDHOOD INSTITUTIONS. IT IS OF CONCERN BECAUSE IT IS VERY CONTAGIOUS WHICH MEANS IT SPREADS EASILY ESPECIALLY AMONG INFANTS AND CHILDREN UNDER FIVE YEARS OLD WHOSE IMMUNE SYSTEM IS NOT YET FULLY DEVELOPED AND WHO TEND TO SHARE TOYS, FOOD AND PLAY TOGETHER. OLDER CHILDREN AND ADULTS ARE ALSO SUSCEPTIBLE BUT TO A LESSER EXTENT.
AFFECTED SCHOOLS
MR. SPEAKER, WE CONTINUE TO MONITOR AFFECTED SCHOOLS AND INVESTIGATE REPORTS OF HFMD. AS MY COLLEAGUE MINISTER OF EDUCATION HON. RONNY THWAITES INFORMED THE NATION, SOME SCHOOLS WHICH WERE CLOSED FOR SANITISING HAVE NOW REOPENED. THE SURVEILLANCE REPORT INDICATED THAT AS OF OCTOBER 5, 2015 AT 5:00P.M. THERE WERE 438 REPORTED CASES OF THE DISEASE WITHIN 144 SCHOOLS OF THE 2,600 SCHOOLS AT THE EARLY CHILDHOOD INSTITUTIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT SOME SCHOOLS HAVE REPORTED JUST TWO CASES AND SOME EVEN A SINGLE CASE OF THE ILLNESS. WITH THIS IN MIND, MR. SPEAKER, IT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN PRACTICAL FOR US TO CLOSE EVERY SCHOOL THAT REPORTED CASES. IN FACT, THE ACCEPTABLE STANDARD IS TO CLOSE WHERE TEN PERCENT OR MORE OF THE SCHOOL POPULATION IS AFFECTED.
MR. SPEAKER, THE PARISH HEALTH DEPARTMENTS HAVE BEEN DOING THEIR INVESTIGATIONS AND FOLLOW UP ACTIONS IN THE AFFECTED SCHOOLS. WE HAVE BEEN WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS. OUR PERSONNEL CONTINUE TO VISIT SCHOOLS AND ASSIST WITH SANITISATION AS WELL AS EDUCATION OF THE SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS ON HOW TO MANAGE THE DISEASE IN THEIR INSTITUTIONS.
THE MINISTRY HAS ALSO PREPARED AND MADE AVAILABLE GUIDELINES ON MANAGING HFMD TO SCHOOLS THROUGH THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION. WE HAVE ALSO MADE INFORMATION AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE AND INVITE PERSONS TO VISIT MOH.GOV.JM TO KEEP UPDATED ON THE MATTER. THE MINISTRY HAS BEEN RUNNING ITS INFECTION CONTROL MEDIA CAMPAIGN SINCE AUGUST URGING CITIZENS TO OBSERVE PROPER HYGIENE PRACTICES INCLUDING WASHING HANDS REGULARLY WITH SOAP AND WATER AND COVERING NOSE AND MOUTH WHEN SNEEZING AND COUGHING TO REDUCE THE SPREAD OF GERMS.
I REMIND PERSONS THAT THEY SHOULD ALSO LIMIT PERSON TO PERSON CONTACT SUCH AS HUGGING, KISSING OR SHARING UTENSILS ESPECIALLY FOR AFFECTED CHILDREN. THESE PRACTICES WILL ALSO ASSIST WITH ARRESTING THE SPREAD OF HFMD.
MR. SPEAKER, I AM AGAIN APPEALING TO SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS TO MAKE AN IMMEDIATE REPORT TO THE MEDICAL OFFICERS OF HEALTH IN THEIR PARISH OR TO THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT IF THEY SUSPECT THAT THERE MAY BE CASES OF THE ILLNESS IN THEIR SCHOOL. AGAIN I URGE PARENTS TO REMOVE THEIR CHILDREN FROM SCHOOL UNTIL THEY HAVE FULLY RECOVERED SO AS TO PREVENT TRANSMISSION TO OTHERS.
CONCLUSION
MR. SPEAKER, A HEALTH ISSUE AND CONCERN MUST BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY BY ALL OF US. WE MUST WORK TOGETHER TO RESOLVE THESE ISSUES. WE SIMPLY CANNOT AFFORD TO POLITICISE A MATTER SUCH AS HEALTH BECAUSE WE WOULD ALSO BE PUTTING OURSELVES AND OUR FAMILIES AT RISK.
HFMD MUST BE A COLLECTIVE CONCERN AS SHOULD EVERY OTHER INFECTIOUS DISEASE. WE THEREFORE HAVE TO ENSURE THAT OUR ACTIONS AND UTTERANCES ARE DIRECTED TOWARDS CONSTRUCTIVELY RESOLVING THESE MATTERS IN A RESPONSIBLE WAY AND IMPROVING THE OVERALL HEALTH OF OUR PEOPLE.
THANK YOU.