Some persons are refusing to be tested for Dengue fever in SVG. This is according to Prime Minister Hon. Dr. Ralph Gonsalves while speaking with on The Issues at Hand program aired on WEFM. Gonsalves said he became aware of this following a discussion with members of the Medical Services sub-committee of NEMO.
“The Medical Health Services sub-committee of NEMO said that “patients are advised to follow the advice of their medical practitioner, including relating to testing.” So I found that very intriguing.”
Gonsalves said that he usually pays close attention to the releases put out by the Ministry of Health and NEMO and encourage the Vincentian public to do the same. He then went on to talk about his call with the Medical Health Services sub-committee.
“So immediately I called. I said “why is this included?” And they said well there are some persons who are not taking the advice of the medical practitioner, to take the test and they will get the medication and then they go home. And within a couple of days they get very sick and then they had to get rushed to the hospital.”
St. Vincent and the Grenadines is currently in the middle of a Dengue outbreak which has seen 514 laboratory confirmed cases and 6 Vincentian lives lost.
