Caribzone News Highlights

Regional

The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) is warning that some countries could be setting themselves up for a different health crisis as they divert attention from the fight against non-communicable diseases (NCDs) to battle COVID-19.

“Services for the prevention and treatment of non-communicable diseases or NCDs have been critically affected since the pandemic,” PAHO Director Dr Carissa Etienne said yesterday during a media briefing on COVID-19 in the Americas. “Services were interrupted in several countries, affecting all types of care for people with different NCDs, but more so for diabetes, hypertension and rehabilitation services.”

To make matters worse, she said, many health staff who previously worked in these areas have been reassigned to combat COVID-19.

Lurline Less, president of the Diabetes Association of Jamaica (DAJ), is deeply concerned about what she has already been seeing as her team offers blood sugar, blood pressure, urine tests and other services free of cost in 25 vulnerable communities across the island. Their efforts are supported by the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ) and the Council of Voluntary Social Services.

“The situation is getting grim,” Less said, pointing to the need for intervention at the community level, as particularly the elderly lock themselves away to safeguard against COVID-19.

Less said they were forced to turn back persons last week in one Linstead, St Catherine, community, because they had quickly reached their target of 30 persons. Several individuals had also turned up for screening, but could not be assisted as the focus was on persons already diagnosed with NCDs.

The DAJ president said that some persons have lost their jobs and are finding it extremely difficult to find the bus fare to go to their health centre. Others have been forced to consume a greater portion of less healthy foods to save money. In fact, she observed that these products – such as white flour and white rice – are often included in COVID-19 care packages.

“Instead of eating four dumplings, you can eat two now, and two three hours later,” she advised. “I am not telling you not to eat dumplings because, probably, that is all you have.”

NCDs are a major public health burden and the leading cause of death in Jamaica. Health Minister Dr Christopher Tufton last year said it would cost the country some $77 billion over the next 13 to 15 years to deal with treatment and loss of productivity associated with diabetes and cardiovascular diseases alone.

Meanwhile, Dr Etienne said PAHO is finding innovative ways to provide safe health services for the people within the region.

“This pandemic, I am afraid, is going to be with us for some time, and we cannot afford to place in jeopardy the health gains that we have made in this region,” she said.

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Jamaica

Thousands of tertiary students hanging on to a thin thread of hope of traveling to the United States in the summer to earn funds to cover tuition and other costs for the upcoming academic year have had those dreams dashed with the Donald Trump administration placing a hold on student work visas.

The news has deflated many students, who forked out more than $200,000 to secure jobs overseas. It has also left many recruitment agencies in a bind as they are required by law to refund 75 per cent of the funds paid by the students, although they had incurred expenses while fulfilling their pledges to secure these jobs.

For 23-year-old Daniel Maxam, the reality that he will not be able to go on the program has been a huge blow.

“It is very disappointing,” said the University of Technology student, who is currently pursuing a diploma in mechanical engineering.

He will now join the long list of Jamaicans trying to pivot and find a job opening locally in an economy hard hit by the pandemic.

“I have just been praying about it and trying to see what’s next, because where one door shuts, two more open,” he said optimistically.

Owner of Career Services International, Otego Thompson, said more than 400 students who applied through his company have been affected. The recruitment company has been helping university students to secure overseas employment for the past 11 years.

“We were like 95 per cent complete in the processing areas; the only thing left was for them to go and get their visas. We already had our employer come in [and] do interviews, we already had our international sponsors come in, do orientation. The students already signed their job offer, contracts. Their housing and everything was already confirmed,” he said.

The US government issued the proclamation on June 22, suspending the entry of non-nationals who present a risk to the US labor market in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The proclamation, which came into effect on June 24, will last until the end of the year.

Thompson said that more than half of this year’s applicants had been on the program before. Some of the students are upset about the fact that they will lose 25 per cent of their investment, but Mark Foster, who operates Students’ Work and Travel Program, said this deduction has been sanctioned by the Ministry of Labor under the Employment Agencies Regulations Act.

 

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Jamaica

The University of the West Indies (UWI) says a recently published study has found that some popular skin lightening products used in Jamaica contain “alarmingly high levels of mercury”.

Noting that skin bleaching is a significant health concern among Jamaicans, the researchers pointed out that a common ingredient in skin lightening products is mercury, which can cause damage to the human gastrointestinal tract, nervous system and kidneys.

The study, published in the June 2020 issue of the Journal of Health and Pollution, was supported by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).

It was conducted by Phylicia Ricketts, Andre Gordon and Mitko Voutchkov from the Medical Physics Research Group in the Department of Physics (UWI) along with collaborators Christopher Knight of the Mines and Geology Division, of the Jamaica government and Ana Boischio of PAHO.

According to UWI, the researchers analyzed 60 skin lightening products available on the Jamaican market for their mercury content using X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) and Cold Vapour Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (CVAAS).

They found that the mercury content was found to range from 0.05 ppm to 17,547 ppm with six products containing levels above the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) allowable limit of one ppm of mercury for skin lightening products.

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Haiti

The latest figures released by the Ministry of Public Health said that last week, the country had recorded a total of 13 deaths, bringing the total to date to 130.

It said that the last seven cases were from the West Department, the North-East Department and the Airbonite Department, where four people - the majority - of the cases were recorded.

According to the Ministry, Haiti recorded 96 new cases of COVID-19 over the last 24 hours, bringing the total to 6,582. It said that as usual, the majority of the new cases were men and that health authorities are treating 3,993 active cases.

The number of suspected cases investigated since March 19, when the first case was detected, is 14,325.

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Trinidad & Tobago

Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley has written to CARICOM Secretary General Irwin La Rocque and Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland, inviting them to send election observers to the upcoming general election on August 10.

In a statement on Thursday, Rowley said the letter formally invites both parties to send election observation missions to observe the twin island republic’s processes and operations in the upcoming parliamentary elections.

It comes one day after leader of the main opposition United National Congress (UNC) Kamla Persad-Bissessar urged the prime minister to invite international observer teams to monitor the election process.

She said the party is concerned that measures are not in place to ensure citizens are able to exercise their franchise.

The UNC leader further called for exemptions to international observers to be granted as early as possible, so that the quarantine period can be completed well ahead of the general election.

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Jamaica

Newly appointed Minister of Labor and Social Security, Mike Henry, says he wants to see more women involved in the Seasonal Agriculture Workers program (SAWP) between Jamaica and Canada. 

Henry made this disclosure during a courtesy call at his office by the Canadian High Commissioner to Jamaica, Laurie Peters.

According to Henry, while there has been a steady minimal increase over the last five years, the time has come to intensify this effort and significantly increase the numbers.  He suggested that in light of COVID-19 and the previous challenges faced by the oversees employers, it would be a positive move to have the Canadian government give some incentives to the employers to provide safe, secure and female friendly bunkering facilities.

Henry noted that in 1989, five women were sent to a tobacco farm, this number grew to 133 in 2008 and by the 2019/2020 financial year the number increased to 606 under the SAWP. This, he says, is still lower than their male counterparts.

Peters, who is in agreement with Henry’s proposal, is also promoting the implementation of other worker programs by the Canadian government, including the Skills to Access the Green Economy (SAGE).  She says this program is administered in Canada through colleges and other institutions and resembles the Jamaican version of Vocational Schools.  

Focusing on sustainable agriculture, the program will be a partnership between two institutions in Canada and two in Jamaica; one of them being the HEART/TRUST NTA.

Since the start of the year, 6,000 workers left Jamaica on the Farm Work program; 75 per cent are returning workers who have spent 20-30 years in the program and another 20-25 per cent are new recruits. In addition, there was a record increase in the number of young persons to the program.  

The SAWP began in 1996 under a bilateral agreement between Jamaica and Canada for the supply of agricultural workers to utilize their skills in planting and harvesting of fruits and vegetables. 

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Sports

GraceKennedy has announced sprinter Briana Williams as its new ambassador.

Williams, the reigning World Athletics Under-20 100m and 200m champion, signed a three-year contract with the brand on Wednesday.

“Being a GraceKennedy ambassador means so much to me,” she said. “I’m so blessed and so happy to be a part of this wonderful family.

“Ever since I could cook up something, or started to cook, I’d always use Grace products so I could feel like I’m in Jamaica. But it’s a dream come true to represent Grace Foods and I couldn’t be any happier.”

GraceKennedy Group Chief Executive Officer Don Wehby says Williams, 18 years old, was chosen because the company felt her character fits the brand’s image.

“We have been watching Briana’s performances for some time now, and easily concluded that she would be a great addition to GraceKennedy,” he said. “Her talent, discipline and focus are beyond impressive, especially at such an early stage in her career.

“Briana’s passion, determination, and resilience is something special, and we’re proud to welcome her to the GraceKennedy family.”

Olympians Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Hansle Parchment are also GraceKennedy brand ambassadors.

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