safety steps

The Ministry of Health, Wellness, Social Transformation and the Environment recently hosted an Infection Prevention Control Campaign in collaboration with the Central Board of Health Antigua and Barbuda, Antigua & Barbuda Emergency Medical Services , USAID Eastern and Southern Caribbean and UNICEF Eastern Caribbean at the Tradewinds Hotel.

One hundred twenty participants benefitted from the workshop which focused on various ways that the spread of diseases can be prevented by implementing proper cough and sneeze etiquette as well as how to wash your hands appropriately.

Cleaners, Teachers and Principals from various schools, both public and private pre-schools and primary schools were among those who benefitted from the programme in addition to Community Health Aids, Police Officers, Fire Officers, Coast Guards, Defence Force Soldiers, Emergency Medican Technicians attached to the Antigua and Barbuda Search and Rescue and the National Office of Disaster Services.

The session also focused on the use of disinfectant chemicals and which chemicals should not be mixed in the cleaning process, the proper way to clean surfaces that may have come into contact with persons bodily fluids.

Those areas were taught by the team from the Central Board of Health while the importance of the use of Personal Protective Equipment such as masks, gowns, goggles and how to remove them appropriately while ensuring they are disposed of correctly in a lined bin were taught by the team from the Antigua Barbuda Emergency Medical Services.

As a practical part of the session, Paramedic attached to the ABEMS, Joanna Otto created life-like injuries where the participants had to then put on the Personal Protective Equipment, tend to the wound effeciently, remove the PPE’s appropriately and dispose of them correctly to ensure that they were not coming into contact with person’s bodily fluids.

The training for each group of persons were personalized to suit the area of focus within the various organizations and departments. For example, the law enforcement officers were taught how to effectively sanitize their police vehicles including the cleaning of handles, wheels, chairs, seatbelts, etc. The Nurses were taught how to disinfect areas which may have come into contact with sick patients at the clinics and health centers.

All of the participants were also taught Basic First-Aid tips to ensure that where they may have to offer assistance to someone within the various settings whether students, patients or someone who committed a crime who may be injured, how to assist them until the appropriate help arrives and how to protect themselves in the process from coming into contact with their bodily fluids.