Parallel system coming for covid19 positive mental health patients

Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh said the Ministry of Health is setting up a parallel system to accommodate mental health patients who are covid19 positive.

At Wednesday’s media briefing, Deyalsingh said he had spoken to the CEOs of the Northwest and Southwest Regional RHAs and a facility was being set up under the control of the NWRHA to accommodate such patients.

Director of the mental health unit Dr Hazel Othello said at the St Ann’s Hospital, new patients being admitted were initially being admitted to a single ward rather than being dispersed to individual wards.

“They are screened before going to that ward, and are quarantined for 14 days, before being taken to the other wards. That is intended so that if someone who is admitted starts to display flu-like symptoms, they can be tested and managed rather than going to the other wards and increasing the risk for transmission to patients in other wards.”

Othello said she was in the process of becoming familiar with the additional measures being put in place.