Health
Barbados Ministry of Health and Wellness' Successful Mobile Clinic Initiative Sees over 300 Residents Served
Over 300 residents benefited from the Ministry of Health and Wellness' successful mobile clinic initiative, providing essential healthcare services like immunization and health checks to communities for greater accessibility.
4 min read
Originally published by barbadostoday.bb (opens in new tab)
Over 300 residents have utilised the Ministry of Health and Wellness’ mobile clinic, a senior official who deemed the initiative a success has disclosed.
Permanent Secretary (PS) in the Ministry of Health and Wellness Wayne Marshall said the programme which commenced in February saw a vehicle visiting communities providing healthcare services, including immunisation and health checks. The aim of the initiative, he said, is to ensure greater access to these services.
“So this intervention was very successful . . . and in March alone, there have been 14 outreach clinics [in] that mobile service and 383 Barbadians receiving these services.
“So, generally, I think that having started only in February and what we have recorded for March, this has been a phenomenal success – and I might add that it is nurse-driven. So I want to congratulate our nurses who have started this project,” Marshall told the congregation at Calvary Moravian Church, Roebuck Street, St Michael on Sunday during a service to mark the launch of the 22nd Vaccination Week in the Americas.
The PS said polyclinics are also open on Saturdays — from February to May — to accommodate people who need to get their children immunised but “cannot afford to lose a day’s pay” to do so.
He said this was done as there has been an “alarming” decline in the immunisation rate in the country.
“Before COVID-19 of 2020, Barbados was one of the most outstanding among regional countries achieving and sustaining vaccination rates of more than 90 per cent on an annual basis. Subsequently, however, we have witnessed a measurable decline in our vaccination rates which are now estimated at only 85 per cent in 2023,” Marshall reported. “This decline is alarming because we recognise that vaccinations really extend lives and improve lives.”
Given that development, a study was conducted in collaboration with the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO), the World Health Organisation (WHO), the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Task Force on Global Health to understand and identify reasons for the decline in immunisation rates, he explained.
The findings, Marshall said, revealed an estimated 10 per cent defaulting rate of vaccination among children under five years of age – children who received one of the first three vaccines but did not return for the first and second booster shots.
The health ministry official said among the reasons for this were that people forgot their appointments, some were unaware when the vaccines were due, others could not attend the clinic as they could not afford to lose a day’s work, and there were others who questioned vaccine safety.
