Cataract surgeries to resume in Tobago by August

Black Immigrant Daily News

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THA secretary for Health, Wellness and Social Protection,
Dr Faith BYisrael. –

After the pandemic delayed cataract surgeries, THA Secretary of Health, Wellness and Social Production Dr Faith BYisrael has announced their impending resumption.

Addressing the virtual post Executive Council media briefing on Friday, BYisrael said since taking up the post, she has received a number of calls and complaints from people awaiting cataract surgeries in particular. This service, she said, will resume in August.

“You would soon, particularly if you are one of those on the list for some time, be getting a call that you need to come in and do some pre-assessment work in order for us to get these surgeries done.”

She said the groups of doctors for these surgeries will have to be mobilised, adding that it may take “a month or so before we are actually able to start doing the surgeries.

“We hope to be able to clear the backlog with the schedule that we are working on.”

On the issue of the monkeypox virus, she said health professionals on the island have started working on public health policies and processes to be implemented “if and when” the island records its first case.

Pointing to the recent case in Jamaica, BYisrael said, “Because we see it coming closer to us, we have to be prepared.”

She said apart from the very basic plans provided by the Ministry of Health, the Tobago House of Assembly and the Tobago Regional Health Authority are actively working on ensuring the island is prepared.

“We had a meeting where we were being very clear on the types of communication needed, both internal and external communication.

“We were also clear on the kind of processes that need to be put into place to determine where we would place someone for example if we are going to quarantine them after we identified them as having monkeypox and what we do in the various circumstances.”

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