PAHO/WHO Representative, Dr. Godfrey Xuereb delivering remarks at the Tuberculosis Management Update Meeting yesterday at the Accra Beach Hotel and Spa.
Thirty tuberculosis cases reported over last decade
It is recognition of this fact that they have strengthened their laboratory services. “It must be stated also that we have augmented our laboratory capacity to conduct advanced TB diagnostics. With the coming on stream of our new Barbados Reference Laboratory… which is currently under construction at Enmore, services would be available not only to Barbados, but to service providers in the other countries in our region. The new laboratory has been made possible by a joint venture by the United States Government through the Centre for Disease Control and the Government of Barbados.”
The Minister of Health stated that Barbados has an extensive TB prevention and control programme. “In Barbados, we have a comprehensive national TB prevention and control programme comprising (of) key elements from primary health care, laboratory services and the HIV Programme and tertiary care.”
They also ensure that health care staff are trained in detection and treatment to control infectious TB patients, he said.
“Recognising the public health importance, case detection and treatment to control infectious TB patients, the Ministry of Health has been training health care providers and other health care professionals in various aspects of tuberculosis management. This workshop today – on World TB Day – has a two-fold purpose. One is to increase public awareness of this disease and secondly, to train health care providers.”