As junior doctors took industrial action to register their grouses with the government over outstanding compensation recently, many parents anxiously awaited normalcy to be returned to the health sector as children across the island continue to grapple with a flu which many said, is the worse they have ever seen.
School administrators have been reporting a high level of absenteeism in recent weeks as the mysterious sickness takes it toll. Parents have reported that the illness is characterized by excessive vomiting, high fever, shivers and cold on the chest. Several children who have turned up at emergency rooms to be treated, have been admitted to health facilities islandwide.
“This flu wicked bad,” one mother was overheard telling another parent as both waited for their children to receive treatment at the Bustamante Hospital for Children recently.
In November, it was reported that a mystery illness had broken out in Jamaica’s adult correctional facilities, with a number of inmates in four of these facilities falling sick. The Department of Correctional Services (DCS) then confirmed that there was an increase in the number of inmates experiencing flu like symptoms.
The Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) then issued a statement that it has been managing a confirmed outbreak of tuberculosis (TB) among inmates at the Hunts Bay lock-up since August of this year. The JCF said there were seven inmates receiving treatment at the Hunts Bay lock-up, while an additional five were undergoing treatment at hospital under 24-hour police guard. The force said it has been working alongside public health partners to manage the situation and reassured the public that necessary measures were being implemented to manage the situation.
It is not known whether there is any link between the mystery flu being experienced by the general population and the tubercolosis outbreak in correctional facilities, but what is for certain, is that health officials have their hands full as the flu season is in full effect.
Health facilities were forced to operate under emergency mode on Monday as junior doctors went on sick out. At some hospitals and health centres, no doctor showed up for work. The doctors resumed work following an emergency conciliation meeting with the Ministry of Labour and Social Security to address outstanding concerns with the Government’s Extra Work Policy.