Ministry of Health institute H1N1 Clinics
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Contact: Shannon Lebourne
Tuesday, September 22, 2009 – The Ministry of Health will, as of Wednesday September 23rd 2009, designate the Castries Health Centre as an exclusive Flu Clinic providing service to people with flu sicknesses and symptoms only, while patients requiring other medical services will be treated at the Entrepot Health Centre.
For region one, the non-emergency section of the Gros-Islet polyclinic will provide exclusive treatment for flu patients while patients with other medical complications will receive care from the emergency section of the policyclinic.
Senior Medical Officer Dr. Merlene Frederick said in addition, the La Croix Maingot Health Centre has been designated as the exclusive flu clinic for region seven, while the Anse-La-Raye, Vanard and Jackmel Health Centres will cater to non-flu patients.
“Right now most of our cases are focused in the north of the island-from Anse-La-Raye to Gros Islet. We do have cases in the south of the island, but the extent is not as great at this point in time. We do have a plan, and if needed we are going to be designating exclusive flu centres for the south, but for now it is unwarranted because of the present situation,” Dr Frederick said.
The exclusive flu clinics are designed to separate patients with flu like symptoms from other medical patients, thus reducing the possible spread of the H1N1 influenza. Health officials are urging citizens from Anse-La-Raye to Gros-Islet to utilise the health institutions in their region as designated.
Meanwhile, the Ministries of Health and Education are continuing to work assiduously to reduce the spread and severity of the H1N1 virus at schools around the island.
Senior Medical Officer Dr. Merlene Frederick said health officials are investigating the prevalence and nature of flu-like illnesses affecting students and teachers at several schools, particularly those institutions in the north of the island.
“Practically in every school which has flu cases, one can find at least one or two children in those schools with the H1N1 influenza. We are appealing to parents to with children attending all schools, not just the Corinth Secondary, if your child is sick he or she must be taken to see a doctor. We stress that sick children should not be sent to school. Corinth has treated differently, as a decision was taken to close the school for one week, but there are other schools with similar situations and we are managing them on a case by case basis,” she said.
As a result of the situation the Corinth Secondary School will remain closed until Wednesday 23rd September, but parents are asked not to panic as health experts are treating each case at the various schools.
Fortunately, no deaths associated to the H1N1 virus has been recorded in Saint Lucia. |
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