MAJ President Dr. Andrew Manning - file photo
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Andrew Manning
Amid the surge in coronavirus cases, the Medical Association of Jamaica (MAJ) has said the public health sector should brace for more persons requiring hospitalisation.
MAJ President Dr. Andrew Manning has estimated that 10 to 15 per cent of persons diagnosed with the virus will have to be hospitalised.
Dr. Manning said this highlights the urgent need for field hospitals.
"So let's make a distinction. You will have some persons who will require ventilatory support, that's about one to two per cent, but you have other persons, who because of increasing difficulty breathing and so on, would still need to come into the hospitals to be monitored closely. They perhaps don't need ventilatory support but these persons will be classed as moderately ill. So you have persons who are gonna need hospital beds but do not require ventilatory support," he explained.
Dr. Manning said more doctors, nurses and other medical professionals will be needed in the public health system to handle COVID-19 cases.
While he admitted this will be a challenge, he suggested that the Health Ministry engage private practitioners for support.
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