Bustamante overflowing with child respiratory admissions

Minister of Health and Wellness Dr Christopher Tufton has indicated that the country is recording an abnormally high number of hospital admissions of children with respiratory illnesses.

Tufton, who was addressing parliamentary colleagues in the House of Representatives on Tuesday, said there has been a more than 400 per cent increase in the number, which has moved from four cases per week to 19 in terms of severe acute respiratory infections (SARI).

This was recorded between September 25 and October 22.

Tufton said that this has resulted in overcrowding at the Bustamante Hospital for Children in Kingston and the Spanish Town Hospital in St Catherine.

He noted that infections have passed the seasonal threshold, with between 19 and 21 admissions occurring each week at the six SARI sites across health regions.

Tufton said that the increased admissions are mainly among children younger than six months old and those between two and four years old.

He said over the last two weeks, admissions were “significantly greater” than usually observed.

“Whereas the Bustamante Hospital for Children would usually admit four SARI cases per week at this time of year, in the last few weeks, they have admitted approximately 13 children each week,” he said, noting that the figure represents an exponential increase.

The minister said that the heights of COVID-19 saw admissions as high as nine per week.

He said that the current admission rate is 44 per cent above pandemic numbers in 2021.

The minister said medical wards at the children’s hospital are above capacity at 111 per cent.

He said on average, there are six patients in the hospital’s Accident and Emergency Department waiting to be admitted nightly for the illness.

He said that the increase in admissions has put significant pressure on staff and a strain on the facility.

At Spanish Town, Tufton said that paediatric numbers indicate that there were 35 admissions at the weekend, with an additional 15 children awaiting admission in the Accident and Emergency Department.

He said that occupancy at the paediatric ward has consistently breached capacity.

Admissions increased by 53 per cent, with 98 patients in August and 150 in September.

The minister pointed to an international trend in respiratory illnesses among children in the region, with a “substantial” increase in the United States and Canada.

He said that the US, in particular, has seen an increase in respiratory syncytial virus.

As a result, samples taken from children locally have been sent to the Caribbean Public Health Agency to test for this virus.

The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has also been contacted for assistance.

“We are moving expeditiously to deal with the problem which is impacting our health facilities,” he said.

Tufton said he has instructed that children 12 years and younger be treated for free at the University Hospital of the West Indies.

Service hours at specified health centres have been extended up to 8 p.m. to facilitate additional treatment. This is expected to take effect Thursday.