PHARMACISTS AND DOCTORS CLASH OVER
ABORTION PILL
The President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Jamaica (PSJ)
was recently on the warpath with the Jamaican Medical
Association(MAJ) for the insensitive way the MAJ President Dr
Alverston Bailey had charged that pharmacists were colluding
with certain elements to dispense the abortion drug Cytotec or
Misoprostol to the black market for the procurement of criminal
abortions. Norman Dunn, The President of PSJ, was of the
opinion that while it is likely that the drug may have fallen into
wrong hands, the MAJ should have discussed the issue with the
PSJ and an investigation carried out before the public accusation
by the MAJ president. Pharmacies in Jamaica only dispense
Cytotec on prescription, and it is supposed to be used as a
prophylaxis against stomach upsets that usually follow the use of
pain killers or NSAIDS. However Cytotec bears pharmacological
resemblance to the famous prostaglandin approved in some
USA states for the purpose of medical abortions, hence in
Jamaica it is known to by widely used albeit illegally for abortions
Doctors have warned lately that several complications have been
seen in some hospitals across the Island, that are likely linked to
the criminal use of this medication
Both the MAJ and the PSJ have agreed however to start serious
enquiries to identify how this dangerous medication finds its way
in the wrong hands
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OBESITY A GLOBAL PROBLEM
The problem of obesity has been identified as a growing
concern across the Globe. Many countries now following the
example of USA and UK, are beginning to pay close attention
to this emerging health problem. The WHO has begun to
make sweeping policies available to countries that have
recognised it as a health issue. The concurrent emergence
of epidemics of Diabetes, hypertension and other so called
lifestyle diseases has once more brought obesity to the
limelight as a serious health issue that could explode if
Nations do not start to address it now.
Dr Wendel Abel, a wellness expert in Jamaica predicts
gloomy days ahead in Jamaica if we do not take measures to
curb obesity.
The consensus of opinions is that there must be a collective
effort by the state to initiate intense awareness programs to
sensitise the public to the whole issue of wellness beginning
with attitudes of our young ones towards fads and fast foods.
Just recently there has been a call by research scientists on
the food industry to begin to cut down on the fat content of
their menu especially the so called 'trans fat'.
Dr Wendel had echoed this call on the Government to begin
now to look towards legislations that would compel the local
fast food industries to focus on this issue just like their
foreign counterparts. Wendy's, the fast food chain in USA
has recently succeeded in making its menu trans fat free.
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HIV/AIDS AND TOURISM
'In a region that boasts of 40 million tourists passing
through annually, the tourism sector must see itself as
having a critical role in sensitising those who work within
the industry, as well as those who travel for either
pleasure or work'. These were the words of the
Chairman of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS,
Tuberculosis and Malaria, as well as the National
HIV/AIDS Commission of Barbados, Dr Carol Jacobs. He
was addressing the action committee preparing St Lucia
as they Host the Media conference on Carribean Media
exchange on sustainable Tourism to be held in the small
Island state on 16th October 2006.
He made the remmark aginst the backdrop of certain
thoughts that tourism is an important source of the
growing HIV/AIDS cases in the carribean
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Most of the database of
research done, show a slight
link between Tourism and
the incidence of HIV/AIDS in
Tourist resort areas of the
Carribean generally and
Jamaica in particular
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Dr Yitades Gabriel
Officer in Charge of HIV/AIDS
Min of Health, Jamaica
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JAMAICAN ROOTS AS CYTOTOXIC
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