Photo: TTT Limited
The COVID-19 pandemic has definitely been a difficult experience for everyone, but there is a crucial aspect of combating the virus that we need to address…. especially today. The World Health Organization (WHO) commemorates World Patient Safety Day every year on September 17th. Now that I’ve said it, I think we can all agree that patient safety this is a high priority issue.
But what does this term really mean?
Well, according to the WHO, patient safety is all about preventing and reducing risks and harm that occur to patients while they are being provided with health care. It is the cornerstone of quality healthcare and is an even more crucial issue when dealing with COVID-19 positive patients. This makes the observance of the World Patient Safety Day this year even more significant.
The very first World Patient Safety Day was recognized in 2019 and its goal was to establish the legacy of the day, as well as to emphasize the importance of prioritizing and addressing patient safety by all global stakeholders (patients, families, caregivers, communities, health workers, health care leaders and policymakers).
The theme for World Patient Safety Day 2020 is “Priority for Patient Safety” and the focus this year is the interrelation of health worker safety and patient safety. This is aptly conveyed in the slogan Safe health workers, Safe patients. It goes without saying that a safe working environment for health workers is a prerequisite for ensuring patient safety. Additionally, ensuring patient safety in the COVID-19 context minimizes risk of infection, illness and even death in health workers, so it is paramount to their safety as well.
In Trinidad and Tobago, one of the earliest strategies that was implemented in treating with confirmed COVID-19 cases was the establishment of a parallel health system, which is a separate system independent of the ‘mainstream’ public health system. This was done with patient and health worker safety in mind, as facilities were specifically designated for testing, diagnosis, and treatment.
There are 12 health facilities in the parallel health system with more than 900 beds that deliver different levels of care: severe/chronic care, intermediate care, quarantine and step-down. This has allowed for increased capacity within the healthcare system, while simultaneously mitigating excess risk to the routine system, including other patients and workers.
In the quarantine facilities, however, there are mixed reports of patient experiences. Some patients have reported high levels of stress and frustration. There have even been a few reported cases of COVID-19 positive persons trying to attempt ‘prison breaks’ since the virus reached our shores:
On Monday 30th March 2020, a young man was on the run and believed to be in hiding, after having escaped mandatory quarantine from the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex.
Three Venezuelan girls escaped from quarantine at Canada Hall, UWI, St Augustine on Tuesday 25th August 2020.
On Wednesday 26th August 2020, a group of young female patients were demanding to be released and even attempted to escape the Caura Hospital. Property at the facility was damaged when the girls tried to leave.
Photo: Rynessa Cutting
These events, along with the rising number of daily cases in Trinidad and Tobago, contribute not only to the undermining of patient and public safety, but health worker safety as well. When COVID-19 positive persons infect others, these new cases are sent to these facilities for treatment, exacerbating the physical and mental effects on our already overworked health workers.
Providing medical care in the parallel health care system holds increased risk for staff. Even though the Ministry of Health has reported that healthcare workers were provided with adequate and appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), the Chief Medical Officer Dr Roshan Parasram confirmed in a virtual press conference on August 17th, 2020 that health care workers in this country have tested positive for Covid-19. However, he could not provide an exact figure. This prospect of infection, along with being overwhelmed, public pressure and the need for rapid reporting, has undoubtedly contributed to a decline in health workers’ mental health.
Photo: AJ_Watt/iStockphoto
Along with the resounding Safe health workers, Safe patients slogan, the WHO is proposing a call for action, “Speak up for health worker safety!” which requests urgent and sustainable actions by all stakeholders to recognize and invest in the safety of health workers, as a priority for patient safety. Thankfully, many organizations within and outside of the Caribbean have been heeding this call.
The People’s Republic of China was the first country to lend support to Trinidad and Tobago by way of donating 15 sets of body temperature measurement systems for air and seaports, 4,000 testing kits and protective gear. The Chinese government indicated willingness to provide medical expertise and video conferencing with medical professionals in China should the need arise. They later donated a further 14,200 masks and 100 protective overalls.
The CAF-Development Bank of Latin America pledged US$400,000 (TT$2,702,963.20) to Trinidad and Tobago to strengthen the country’s emergency response mechanisms and reinforce the safety of people working in the prevention, mitigation and care of patients affected by the novel coronavirus.
Trinidad and Tobago was one of fifteen countries to benefit from the Government of Canada’s USD$5.3 million contribution to PAHO’s COVID-19 response in the Caribbean. The collaboration will support increased access to PPE and other critical supplies to assist countries in their efforts to save lives and limit the spread of the virus, focusing on populations experiencing marginalization or vulnerability, including health care workers.
The World Bank approved US$20 million for the Trinidad and Tobago COVID-19 Emergency Response Project to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and strengthen national systems for public health preparedness.
The U.S. Embassy donated US$22,000 worth of PPE, inclusive of 10,000 cloth face masks and 40 non-contact hand-held thermometer scanners to be distributed to first responders.
Photo: U.S. Embassy Port of Spain
Additionally, to combat the decline in mental health, a virtual 24/7 platform was developed recently to provide psychosocial help to health care workers and their families. This initiative seeks to ensure that frontline workers can effectively respond to the challenges which have emerged in the face of COVID-19.
The fledgling platform, now just over three months old, was developed by Eutelmed, an independent and multicultural network of international healthcare professionals providing telemedicine. This venture is funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and organised by UNICEF and its partners, the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) and the Organization of Eastern Caribbean State (OECS).
In addition to offering a 24/7 hotline and chat option, when you log onto caring.eutelmed.com with access code UNICEF-ECA, the portal presents a resource section packed with reading information as well as a self-assessment area where persons can assess their sleep quality, stress or emotional state. All aspects of the service are anonymous, and every user has the option to receive in-depth counselling if they so choose. The programme is being offered in five languages: English, Spanish, French, Portuguese and Italian, so it is easily accessible to all.
The signature mark of World Patient Safety Day 2020 is the illumination of globally recognized monuments and landmarks in orange, as a gesture of respect and gratitude to all health workers.
However, I truly think that the best way to show your appreciation for those on the front lines is to adhere to the COVID-19 guidelines in order to prevent yourself from becoming infected.
COVID-19 requires conscientiousness.
Don’t contribute to the strain that presently exists on the public healthcare system. Wear your mask, sanitize, keep your distance and let’s stay safe.
P.S. If you would like to know more about today, please click here for more information.
Sources: