By Caribbean News Global contributor
CASTRIES, St Lucia (CNG Health) – Amidst the desperation of the government of Saint Lucia in an election year, to put politics before people, the illogical economic and social review of debt to GDP of 102 percent in an attempt to ‘building a new Saint Lucia’ – the result is death and destruction to “embrace and co-exist with COVID-19”.
In the tale of two Saint Lucia’s: COVID-19 lives and livelihoods – the island now records 35 COVID-19 related deaths, (207 new cases of COVID-19) and 3,356 diagnosed cases as reported, February 26, 2021. Regrettable, the result is expant of more carnage on the people, and the island’s health and institutional structures.
“The Ezra Long Laboratory will be clearing the remaining backlog of COVID-19 tests. As such, a large number of samples will be processed and results released,” the Ministry of Health (MOH), said, in a press release Friday, February 26, 2021.
Recently, the leader of the Saint Lucia Labour Party (SLP), Philip J Pierre, warned the government of Saint Lucia that “in this COVID-19 battle, we should put people before profits, lives before livelihoods and health before wealth.”
According to a letter from the St Lucia Medical and Dental Association to the prime minister of Saint Lucia dated February 19, 2021, that reads in part:
“There is a rapid rise in case numbers with widespread community transmission reflected by 1. Increasing positivity rate 2. Increasing Hospitalization rate 3. Increasing Morbidity and Mortality. Currently, the R0 is 2.5-3 with an average incubation period of 5 days contributing to the rapid case increase.
“Projected statistics for the next four weeks:
Mortality rate of 1.5 percent of infected; hospitalization rates with moderate disease of 20 percent, severe disease 10 percent, critical disease 5 percent of infected; (CDC, WHO) minimum length of hospital stay 10 days
(1). Total positive cases 6000 (2). Total number of deaths 90 (3). Total number of hospitalized patients – daily average 400 & total hospitalized for the four-week period – 1,400 (800 moderate, 400 severe, 200 critical)
“Capacity of the respiratory hospital:
- Total beds – 127
- Total ICU beds – 3
- Total step down beds – 12
- Total number of Intensivist Staff – 4 anesthetists, 15 ICU trained nurses
- Total number of ventilators – 7 adult, 1 neonatal, (2 additional adult not working, 14 in storage)
- Total number of high flow oxygen machines – 8
“ Projected consequences of current rate of rise in infections:
- Overwhelming of health sector capacity in particular general and critical care hospital beds
- Reduction in the number of healthcare workers as a result of infections
- Increased mortality as a result of 1 & 2 above
- Increased rate of spread of disease”
- Further Reading: Covid-19 Emergency plan, letter to the Prime Minister-1 (1).
Moving forward, it is time for the government of Saint Lucia to – stop and reset – to unite and fight the health and economic impact of COVID-19. However, given “the technical expertise of the members of the command center,” according to a recent United Workers Party (UWP) press release, many recognize the opposite is paramount.
A key factor in taking Saint Lucia out of its current economic crisis referenced by opposition leader Pierre is for all sectors to work together to overcome the crisis.
“We can give greater meaning to our independence by working together to tackle the challenges of an economic crisis, began by the disastrous economic policies of a government that has borrowed excessively and misspent terribly, and which has been worsened by the destructive effect of COVID-19 on our economic mainstay – the tourism industry,” Pierre explained. “We must recommit to creating an economy where the aspirations of Saint Lucians will be supported by a government seeking to encourage wealth creation regardless of their socio-economic backgrounds,” he said.
