The sudden death of DJ Arif Cooper while he performed on March 5, has sent shockwaves across the country, indeed the world. His tragic death occurred just three days after the sudden death of PNP councillor, of the Islington Division, St. Mary – Lincoln Dixon. At home, Mr Dixon noted that he did not feel well and was rushed to Annotto Bay Hospital where he died soon after, according to the Jamaica Observer. It also comes five days after a 27-year-old security guard, Nathaniel Johnson, while on a bus on the Portmore toll road, Kingston said he was not feeling well and complained of needing air. He opened the door and soon after fell out of the vehicle and was pronounced dead at the hospital, as reported by the Gleaner.
The pain and shock seem to be even more accentuated when the person is young and a leader or influencer in a particular industry. But the sudden death of those thought to be healthy is always alarming and jolting. Sadly, there seems to be an increase in the number of persons in this category. Outside of celebrities and politicians and a man falling out of a bus, there are informal reports of less flashy but similarly final and sudden episodes occurring among normal citizens.
The natural course following a shocking scenario is to determine whether or not what is being observed is statistically significant and then to ask the all-important question. If it is significant – what is causing this? First-world countries like the United Kingdom, which are tracking excess deaths have had to grapple with the glaring national statistics which showed between 1500 and 3000 excess deaths per week for a few weeks in December 2022 and January 2023. Some blame an underfunded national health service with poor emergency response times and increased wait times at hospitals. Others blamed an ageing population and poor health-seeking behaviour in the face of increasing levels of lifestyle illnesses such as heart disease and diabetes. Others still, blame the covid-19 vaccine.
It is the responsibility of the health professionals at the ministry of health to do the statistical analysis and the appropriate investigations to determine what is causing these sudden and unexplained deaths. It is not likely to be prudent to ignore that which is persistent, alarming and jolting.
Great men and small men alike have fallen away with no explanation. While we mourn their loss we must seek to understand what we are observing. Inaction is neither in the best interest of our health nor our wellness.
