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Crime hobbles hospitals
Crime affecting hospitals' ability to treat sick people
BY COREY ROBINSON Sunday Observer staff reporter [email protected]
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Jamaica's high crime rate is affecting hospitals' capability to adequately treat patients with chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs), a symposium of medical practitioners from across the Caribbean was told yesterday.
According to Dr Elizabeth Ward of the Violence Prevention Alliance, while NCDs account for the most deaths in Jamaica, treatment of the illnesses is often hampered by the pressing need to assign doctors and resources to treat violence-related injuries.
"We are losing our young males to homicide and because of that we are increasing the amount of disability, even HIV/AIDS and chronic non-communicable diseases, because of the high levels of violence and injuries in our population," Dr Ward told the Sunday Observer during a break in the seventh Annual Symposium on Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases in the Caribbean hosted by the Association of Consultant Physicians of Jamaica at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in new Kingston.
"When you go in to get a hernia repair and you are cancelled six or seven times, or when you go in to get an operation and you can't because the blood was used to patch up a stab wound over the weekend, you say it is an ineffective health service," Dr Ward said. "But we don't realise how much of a negative impact the high level of violence is having on our hospital services."
Dr Ward's presentation featured findings of a study carried out by herself and a group of surgeons from the Kingston Public Hospital (KPH) using World Health Organisation methodology.
The study, completed in 2007, showed that in 2006 $2 billion was directly spent in the treatment of violence-related injuries. This is far more than the amount spent on obstetrics and gynaecology, psychiatric treatment, diabetes, HIV and other infections; and cardiovascular and respiratory illnesses.
The study also revealed that treatment of gunshot wounds ran some $230,000; stab wounds $95,000; blunt trauma $55,000; lacerations $51,000; and other wounds $51,000.
Last year, 31,000 persons received treatment at hospitals for violence-related injuries. Of that figure, 5,900 were admitted, the study showed.
"When we did a first estimate we thought that it was $700 million, but when we added the gauze, the doctors' time, operation time, blood and everything, we realised that it was actually $2 billion," Dr Ward told the Sunday Observer. "This data was collected from the KPH, Bustamante [Children's Hospital] and in the Cornwall region."
Health Minister Rudyard Spencer, who officially opened the symposium, urged doctors to raise a "collective cry" for sustained actions aimed at stemming NCD epidemics.
"Men and women like you, who see the suffering everyday know more than anyone else of the dashed hopes, broken dreams, the misery and pain of individuals and families," Spencer said.
"To prevent and stem NCDs requires inter-sectoral collaboration and must involve the non-governmental sector, including NGOs, community-based organisations and faith-based organisations," he said.
Spencer described regional NCDs statistics as frightening.
NCDs and injuries account for 69 per cent of deaths and 65 per cent of disability-adjusted life in the region. Deaths from NCDs are 10 times higher than HIV/AIDS, according to statistics revealed by Spencer.
Seven per cent of children aged 10-15 years are overweight, while four per cent are obese. In the 15-19 age group, 19 per cent are overweight, while six per cent are obese, he added.
Approximately 150,000 Jamaicans in the 15-74 age group have diabetes mellitus.
The prevalence of obesity is 25 per cent, while diabetes mellitus, high cholesterol, and hypertension, represent eight per cent, 12 per cent and 25 per cent respectively.
Crime affecting hospitals' ability to treat sick people
BY COREY ROBINSON Sunday Observer staff reporter [email protected]
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Jamaica's high crime rate is affecting hospitals' capability to adequately treat patients with chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs), a symposium of medical practitioners from across the Caribbean was told yesterday.
According to Dr Elizabeth Ward of the Violence Prevention Alliance, while NCDs account for the most deaths in Jamaica, treatment of the illnesses is often hampered by the pressing need to assign doctors and resources to treat violence-related injuries.
"We are losing our young males to homicide and because of that we are increasing the amount of disability, even HIV/AIDS and chronic non-communicable diseases, because of the high levels of violence and injuries in our population," Dr Ward told the Sunday Observer during a break in the seventh Annual Symposium on Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases in the Caribbean hosted by the Association of Consultant Physicians of Jamaica at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in new Kingston.
"When you go in to get a hernia repair and you are cancelled six or seven times, or when you go in to get an operation and you can't because the blood was used to patch up a stab wound over the weekend, you say it is an ineffective health service," Dr Ward said. "But we don't realise how much of a negative impact the high level of violence is having on our hospital services."
Dr Ward's presentation featured findings of a study carried out by herself and a group of surgeons from the Kingston Public Hospital (KPH) using World Health Organisation methodology.
The study, completed in 2007, showed that in 2006 $2 billion was directly spent in the treatment of violence-related injuries. This is far more than the amount spent on obstetrics and gynaecology, psychiatric treatment, diabetes, HIV and other infections; and cardiovascular and respiratory illnesses.
The study also revealed that treatment of gunshot wounds ran some $230,000; stab wounds $95,000; blunt trauma $55,000; lacerations $51,000; and other wounds $51,000.
Last year, 31,000 persons received treatment at hospitals for violence-related injuries. Of that figure, 5,900 were admitted, the study showed.
"When we did a first estimate we thought that it was $700 million, but when we added the gauze, the doctors' time, operation time, blood and everything, we realised that it was actually $2 billion," Dr Ward told the Sunday Observer. "This data was collected from the KPH, Bustamante [Children's Hospital] and in the Cornwall region."
Health Minister Rudyard Spencer, who officially opened the symposium, urged doctors to raise a "collective cry" for sustained actions aimed at stemming NCD epidemics.
"Men and women like you, who see the suffering everyday know more than anyone else of the dashed hopes, broken dreams, the misery and pain of individuals and families," Spencer said.
"To prevent and stem NCDs requires inter-sectoral collaboration and must involve the non-governmental sector, including NGOs, community-based organisations and faith-based organisations," he said.
Spencer described regional NCDs statistics as frightening.
NCDs and injuries account for 69 per cent of deaths and 65 per cent of disability-adjusted life in the region. Deaths from NCDs are 10 times higher than HIV/AIDS, according to statistics revealed by Spencer.
Seven per cent of children aged 10-15 years are overweight, while four per cent are obese. In the 15-19 age group, 19 per cent are overweight, while six per cent are obese, he added.
Approximately 150,000 Jamaicans in the 15-74 age group have diabetes mellitus.
The prevalence of obesity is 25 per cent, while diabetes mellitus, high cholesterol, and hypertension, represent eight per cent, 12 per cent and 25 per cent respectively.