BARBADOS’ HEALTH SECTOR is feeling increased strain after battling COVID-19 for more than two years and the fallout is likely to worsen.
That’s the diagnosis from President of the Barbados Association of Medical Practitioners (BAMP) Dr Lynda Williams, who said the serious negative effects were evident in increased cases of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), more people suffering from mental illness, delayed surgeries, reduced preventative care and interrupted maternal and child health services.
The epidemiologist called for special attention to be given to Barbadians likely to suffer from the long term effects of the viral illness and advised, “because one thing that we have seen as a result of COVID is that there was a rise in non-communicable diseases directly related to persons having COVID-19 itself”.
She also urged Barbados to start preparing for the next pandemic even though no one knows when the current one will end.
Williams was speaking Tuesday night during a Barbados Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors online discussion on The Prolonged Impact Of The COVID-19 Pandemic On Barbados. (BA)
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