PRESIDENT of the St. Lucia Sickle Cell Association, Paula Calderon, has expressed “extreme concern” over the Ministry of Health’s decision to halt the newborn Sickle Cell disease (SCD) screening pilot project.
The project is being sponsored by the SickKids Caribbean Initiative (SCI) and is a recently instituted new method of testing for sickle cell disease using a newborn heel prick with blood spots on filter papers shipped to Jamaica for testing.
She said that the project was halted without consultation with the SCI SCD Working Group which includes besides the SCI specialists, local physicians and nurses, lab managers and the Association.
Calderon said that this path of decision-making without consultation was unacceptable and especially so “ when we do not yet have the quantity of samples required to assess benefit”. The SCD Working Group along with the Sick Kids team agreed at the last meeting to continue obtaining samples in order to make a more accurate analysis.
Calderon said that she was notified by a Ministry of Health Consultant last week, that PAHO has provided funds to identify how parents were reacting to the new method of testing. She is adamant that there are not enough parents yet involved to obtain such information and is disturbed that the St. Lucia Sickle Cell Association has been asking for a Consultant to look at the impact of the work of the Association on the health care system and to date some ten years later, the Ministry has not responded positively.
Calderon said that she has had many meetings with the Ministry over the years and none of the requests has been met, or acted upon. She said: “This lack of support is unfortunate, and is further underlined by the absence of the regular and valuable Community Child Health service clinics over the past six months, bearing in mind that the life-saving comprehensive care system for patients affected by Sickle Cell Disease is for the most part managed by the Community Paediatrician through the Outreach Programme developed by the Association. Since May this service has not been available, leaving the Associations’ clients to fend for themselves.”\
On behalf of its patients and families, the Sickle Cell Association has called on the Ministry of Health to respond positively, and in so doing to show that it appreciates the importance of dependable child health care.
Why Jamaica a poor country all the way up north.Looshans should be doing the lab work right in St.Lucia,all the private labs,private hospital and medical schools.As a last resort I can see Martinique ,please continue testing the babies.
There are many persons in this country who don’t understand Sickle Cell and need to be educated. Please continue testing the babies and educating the parents. We have the private labs, private labs and medical schools that can be of assistance. This is a very important issue for our children the future of the country. Too many have been lost to this disease and are right now suffering.
From an Obstetrician/Gynecologist perspective, it is crucial to have testing performed to initiate early intervention when necessary, especially knowing the parent’s status. The SCA needs to keep pressing forward and educate the MOH on this important and vital topic that can have far reaching consequences to families and even worse for the children