Is Jamaica prepared for Ebola? - a major topic on "That's a Rap!"

On last Sunday's edition of "That's a Rap," RJR's weekly news review show, the emerging Ebola crisis, internationally, was the main topic discussed by host Earl Moxam and panelists, Dr. Michael Abrahams, attorney-at-law Clyde Williams and Kavan Gayle, trade unionist and Opposition Senator.

Dr. Abrahams, a physician, expressed particular concern about the "non-specific" nature of "Ebola or Ebola-like symptoms," such as high fever, sore throat, headache, muscle pain, nausea and vomiting.

"That's not really confined to Ebola, and many persons will present with symptoms like that to their general practitioner or to health centres, so you will have to have a very high index of suspicion, in dealing with patients like that, he said.

He reported that a medical colleague of his had suggested that, were the need to arise, an isolation centre should be established at an airport hangar.

Regarding the readiness of the country's health care professionals to respond to an Ebola crisis, Dr. Abrahams offered the opinion that they were not in a state of readiness for that eventuality: "I haven't done a survey but my impression is that we are not... We know that it is around, but I don't think we are that prepared."

A good preparatory step, he suggested, would be for the holding of a series of mandatory seminars for all health care professionals.

Kavan Gayle is in support of that approach, involving everybody in the health care system, "starting from the level of the security guards, the nurses, drivers, janitorial staff, those caregivers everywhere."

I addition, he said, the Government must ensure there is an adequate supply of protective gear in the country, and a change of attitude towards the use of these items.

Simulation

Clyde Williams made a strong recommendation for simulation exercises to be carried out to better prepare health care professionals ahead of the possible arrival of an Ebola case in Jamaica.

"Watch how it works... and see how ready we are," he advised.

 Click on the audio icon above to listen to the discussion.