MAJ disagrees with withholding name of Portmore community with case of Zika Virus

The Medical Association of  Jamaica (MAJ) is not in agreement with the decision by the Health Ministry to withhold the name of  the Portmore community where the person diagnosed with the first case of the Zika virus in Jamaica is residing.

Dr. Myrton Smith, President of  the Association,  is of  the view that identifying the community would be helpful, especially with Portmore's large population. 

"I think it would be useful at least to release it to the medical community," in the first instance, "so that we know," he suggested, in an interview with RJR News.

Thereafter, he said, consideration should be given to making the information available to the community.

Dr. Smith does not share the view that naming the community will result in it being stigmatised.

"The Jamaican people, I think, have matured and they are able to deal with the information," he said, adding that "there's more mistrust when they feel that things are being hidden from them."

Reporting

In the meantime, the MAJ is taking steps to ensure that its members comply with the Public Health Act and Regulations by reporting suspected cases of the Zika virus to the Ministry of Health within 24 hours.

"We're trying to iron out the reporting arrangements, however, to make sure that it is streamlined. So we need to make sure that all doctors know where they must report to, the relevant forms that they need to fill out - that they are available - and that the phone lines in the parish health departments and the Ministry of Health are actually up and running."