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Ministry launches surveillance manual for communicable diseases
Wednesday, November 04, 2009
OCHO RIOS, St Ann - The Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO), yesterday launched a National Surveillance Manual for contagious diseases.
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| Chief Medical Officer Dr Sheila Campbell-Forrester speaks during yesterday's launch of the National Surveillance Manual for communicable diseases. |
The ministry anticipates that the surveillance manual and a two-day surveillance workshop, which started yesterday at the Sunset Jamaica Grande Resort here, will help health workers to better monitor and deal with the outbreak of contagious diseases.
The health sector has been trying for several months to deal with the outbreak of the Influenza A H1N1 virus, especially with concerns that there could be a second wave of the disease.
Chief Medical Officer Dr Sheila Campbell-Forrester said although there have been 149 confirmed cases of the H1N1 virus, the ministry estimates that there have been more than 4,000 cases of the infectious disease.
And, although there have been five reported deaths locally and over 5,700 internationally, Dr Campbell-Forrester said the H1N1 has been "very gracious" to Jamaica.
"It (H1N1) provided an opportunity for testing our surveillance system in real time; we have identified some weakness and these include timeliness and standardisation of reports and also vigourous monitoring," Dr Campbell-Forrester said. "However, we are happy that we have used the opportunity to develop plans and to intervene where we can and to improve our system."
She explained that the surveillance manual will help to address some shortcomings regarding infectious diseases as it is intended to promote the best use of public health resources through the development of an effective surveillance system.
According to the chief medical officer, combating the H1N1 virus and other infectious diseases is heavily dependent on the strength of the ministry's surveillance system and how data regarding the different diseases are collected, reported and analysed.
"Communicable disease in one country is a global concern," Dr Campbell-Forrester said, adding that early detection and immediate public health intervention could curtail the number of cases of communicable diseases and deaths.
She said that unless health professionals continue to remind the populace of basic hygiene and sanitation, the country would not be able to contain infectious diseases.
She noted, however, that over the years there has been a decrease in death caused by infectious disease, but said health workers should not become complacent.
In addition, Dr Campbell-Forrester said to fully address all the issues associated with the surveillance system, disease surveillance should be developed and strengthened at parish, regional and national level.
Meanwhile, PAHO's environmental health advisor Dr Homero Silva said the surveillance manual is a great achievement for Jamaica as it represents a major milestone towards ensuring that health problems no longer constitute a threat to public health.
He said the manual should allow the ministry and the health sector to significantly improve on its data collection and reporting.
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