There has been a ten per cent increase in people going to the Accident and Emergency Department of the Port-of-Spain General Hospital for respiratory-related illnesses, Health Minister Dr Fuad Khan said yesterday.The minister said so as fires continue to rage at the Beetham landfill, causing the city to be shrouded in smoke.A concerned Khan said at the health centres in and around Port-of-Spain there was no increase in patients."At the Port-of-Spain accident and emergency it started off with just about 12 cases and there were 18 cases today (yesterday) for respiratory illnesses, including asthma; at St James there was one and at the other health centres none."So overall there is about a ten per cent increase, or just less than that," Khan said in a telephone interview.
He assured there were enough doctors and nurses to staff the institutions and equipment, such as nebulisers (a device that converts liquid into aerosol droplets suitable for inhalation), was also available. He said he had ordered the health centres to remain open later than usual.Chairman of the North Central Regional Health Authority (NCRHA) Dr Shehenaz Mohammed said yesterday a policeman had to go to the St Joseph Enhanced Health Centre after complaining of respiratory problems because of smoke inhalation. She said he was treated and discharged.At the Chaguanas Health Centre there were three similar cases and at Arima five cases. Three of the five cases went to the Accident and Emergency Department."The patients were all treated and discharged. None were sent to the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex, Mt Hope," Mohammed added.