‘Pandemic has created a mental health crisis’

By TANYA SMITH-CARTWRIGHT

tsmith-cartwright@tribunemedia.net

PAHO officials said the coronavirus pandemic has created a mental health crisis in the region.

Dr Carissa Etienne, PAHO director, said yesterday: “This pandemic has ushered in a mental health crisis, as we’ve been shaken by fear, depression, isolation, and loss that is made especially acute as we mark this grim milestone.

“While we’re all shouldering more stress, some groups, like people living with disabilities or mental health and substance abuse disorders, have been especially hard-hit. Paradoxically, while mental health support has been more important than ever, it’s also been more out of reach.”

Dr Etienne, during PAHO’s weekly web briefing, said that data from 29 countries in the region found that nearly all of them experienced disruptions in mental health services, with significant disruptions reported in more than a quarter of participating countries.

She also spoke about the COVID-19 situation in the region, saying over 44 million people in the Americas have been infected – including more than two million over the last week.

“In North America, the US is continuing to report the highest number of cases in our region. Mexico is reporting a rise in infections, with some regions of that country – seeing tripling cases over the last few weeks,” she said.

“There is also growing pressure on hospital capacity throughout North America. In some states of the US, nearly 80 percent of ICU beds are being used to treat COVID-19 patients, with similar rates in many Mexican states, just as some areas of Canada are reaching hospital capacity. In the Caribbean, larger islands, like Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and Cuba, are seeing an increase in infections.”

Smaller island nations, like Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and St Lucia, she said, are seeing a rapid acceleration of cases with infections growing by more than 25 percent over the last week.

PAHO officials also said there is no extra funding to gain from the “return” of America to the World Health Organization as a member state, as that country never really officially left the international public health authority as believed.

During the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, it was reported by the media that former President Donald Trump pulled the United States as a member state of WHO. It was further reported that upon taking office, newly elected President Joseph Biden signed an executive order reversing the move.

The Tribune asked if the return of the US to WHO could mean more funding for the region and quicker access to vaccines. Paulo Lyra, PAHO communications representative, explained the status of the US as it pertains to WHO.

He said: “WHO and its partners are taking all possible measures to get the vaccines to countries as soon as possible. Please note that the US never ceased to be a WHO member state.

“They announced their intention to withdraw and then recently announced their intention to remain a member state. The process takes one year. So there is no funding ‘increase’. So the recent announcement by the US government in itself does not affect the pace of the distribution of vaccines.”

Comments

KapunkleUp says...

Our Police Com. didn't wanna comment on this as "weak people"...?

Posted 28 January 2021, 5:32 p.m. Suggest removal

SP says...

Imagine ending up in the Police Commissioners' hands for some odd reason in need of assistance....GOD help you!

Posted 28 January 2021, 9:46 p.m. Suggest removal

John says...

Not only will the pandemic leave mental illness in its wake, but the prediction is that many who became severely ill under corona will have medical issues that will leave them eventually disabled and unable to work and maintain a family or even themselves. This will put additional drain on NIB and the health care system.

Posted 28 January 2021, 6:02 p.m. Suggest removal

DWW says...

its about a 1 in 100,000 odds, so the bahamas will have 4 cases of long form covid 19

Posted 29 January 2021, 5:59 a.m. Suggest removal

John says...

Where did you get your wrong figures from? Almost every patient that was in intensive care will have lingering effects ov Covid-19 including damage to internal organs, snd at least 20% of those patients that had to be hospitalized.

Posted 29 January 2021, 8:43 a.m. Suggest removal

GodSpeed says...

It's the lockdowns causing it, not the virus.

Posted 28 January 2021, 6:37 p.m. Suggest removal

John says...

Not just the lockdowns, but fear, uncertainty and stress. Bahamians are use to being locked down during hurricanes but not to weeks at a time. Then there is the fear of getting the virus and even dying from it. And the fear of losing your job, your property or loved ones. Then there is the stress of losing a job, a loved one or even more. The stress of even going to the good store or a bank and having to to long lines. The stress of having to work from home, of having children’home schooled’, and the stress of their welfare and future.

Posted 29 January 2021, 8:50 a.m. Suggest removal

GodSpeed says...

> "PAHO officials also said there is no
> extra funding to gain from the
> “return” of America to the World
> Health Organization as a member state,
> as that country never really
> officially left the international
> public health authority as believed.
>
> During the onset of the COVID-19
> pandemic, it was reported by the media
> that former President Donald Trump
> pulled the United States as a member
> state of WHO."

Gee do you mean to say the media lied and mislead people to paint Trump in a bad light? Wow who could believe that? 🙃

Posted 28 January 2021, 6:40 p.m. Suggest removal

Bobsyeruncle says...

Not exactly. The letter that the Trump administration sent to WHO in July 2020 specified that the US would leave as of July 1st, 2021. I'm guessing it's sort of like Brexit in that it's not possible to do immediately. My guess is also that the date would have stood had Trump not lost the election. Pls stop spinning actual facts, and actually do some research.

Posted 28 January 2021, 7:37 p.m. Suggest removal

GodSpeed says...

You can guess that Trump would have left but I'll bet he would have caved, it's how he works in negotiations. Although imo seeing it through would have been best for the US because the WHO is completely useless and bungled handling of virus as Trump laid out in his letter. Trump's biggest mistake early on was listening to the WHO which was more concerned in covering up for China (only God knows why) and "racism and xenophobia", than stopping an actual pandemic.

Posted 29 January 2021, 9:57 a.m. Suggest removal

ThisIsOurs says...

thats not what they said. More nonsense from you. Nobody needs to paint any bad lighting around Trump, he does a perfectly good job doing that on his own. There was no secret about his announcement, we don't have some secret media cameras that makes him look like he's making a dumb announcement when he's not. he wanted to show that he was big and bad and he took his ball and left the court. What the officials said is,**it takes a year to withdraw** since Trump got kicked out they just cancelled those plans midstream.

Posted 29 January 2021, 5:26 a.m. Suggest removal

DWW says...

its funny when the objects of propaganda, don't actually realise that they are being duped.

Posted 29 January 2021, 6:02 a.m. Suggest removal

sheeprunner12 says...

Covid19 ........... and those who making it seems to be such an apocalyptic pandemic is just part of the global attempt to control ALL humans by the tech & medical experts for bigger political designs ......... call me a conspiracist, but we are seeing the "wiser but weaker" prophecy happening right before our very eyes.

Posted 29 January 2021, 6:21 a.m. Suggest removal

tribanon says...

True to form, The Tribune gets it wrong again. The headline to this article should much more correctly read: *"Minnis Has Created A Mental Health Crisis."*

Posted 29 January 2021, 10:57 a.m. Suggest removal

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