Amputations to be reduced by 20% in 2019

Tobago's Division of Health, Wellness and Family Development, has a mandate to reduce the number of amputation in 2019 by 20 per cent, said Agatha Carrington, THA secretary for the division.

A resident raised concern over the increasing number of amputations in Tobago at a health consultation at the Mt St George Community Centre last Wednesday.

Junior Quashie, secretary of the village council and president of the All Tobago Fisherfolk, asked about the increasing number of amputation of lower limbs in Tobago amongst young people, saying, “I can recall in the past we had something that we called the hyperbaric chamber that we used to carry out these systems. I’m not sure if we have anyone trained to use them again. I think that could help a lot of people with this issue.”

In response, Carrington said there is a hyperbaric chamber in Roxborough near the old health centre, adding, “The use of that for wound care – probably we need to use it more.

"In 2017 we gave the undertaking that we would reduce the number of amputations. We have been working on that, but we should not reach the stage where we need the chamber.

"We are working towards improving the primary care. We have not looked at the number of amputations for this year."