The Tribune

By YOURI KEMP

Tribune Business Reporter

ykemp@tribunemedia.net

Doctor’s Hospital has seen a turning point in the battle against the latest COVID-19 wave as non-pandemic related patient admissions are starting to increase, it was disclosed yesterday. 

Dr James Iferenta, director of emergency medical services at Doctor’s Hospital, told Bahamas Institute of Chartered Accountants (BICA) members: “We’ve had to mobilise all facilities, we had to come alongside and be supported by the Government in our ultimate facility.

“We’ve had to change the rules on access, increase testing straight across the board, push for no tolerance PCR-positive for any of our elective procedures. We’ve seen overwhelming of our emergency facilities. So it’s been a very difficult time for us.” 

Dr Iferenta added: “We are thankful that the vaccine is here, and that persons are now taking advantage of vaccination, which is the real tool that we really have to support the community with the control of COVID.”

Non-COVID-19 patients have been coming back to the emergency room, and he said: “We’re thankful for that. We hope that that will go through the festive season.”

Asked when elective care procedures will be made available at Doctor’s Hospital, Dr Iferenta added: “We have developed an ambulatory care centre on Collins Avenue to try to assist the patients and physicians, and to relieve the anxiety and the pressure of coming into the actual hospital environment.” 

Dr Nikkiah Forbes, director of the National HIV/AIDS and Infectious Disease Programme, called for more vaccinations and warned that COVID-19 may be with the world “for another five years” given how global pandemics have trended in the past.