分类： health

The Warrens business district in Barbados was awash with a vibrant sea of pink on Sunday as an estimated 20,000 participants gathered for the 2025 CIBC Walk for the Cure. This event marked one of the largest turnouts in its history, showcasing a profound display of unity and commitment to breast cancer awareness across the island. Kemar Polius, Head of CIBC Barbados, expressed his awe at the spectacle, describing it as ‘a sight to behold.’ Reflecting on his experiences with similar events in the Cayman Islands and the Bahamas, Polius emphasized that Barbados’ Walk for the Cure stands unparalleled in the southern Caribbean and possibly the entire region. He highlighted that CIBC Caribbean has raised over US$5 million regionally, including more than BDS$1 million in Barbados, to support cancer-fighting initiatives through the Barbados Cancer Society’s Breast Screening Programme. President Dame Sandra Mason, alongside CIBC managers, participated in the walk for the first and final time as her term concludes on November 29. Dr. Shirley Hanoman-Jhagroo, Medical Coordinator of the Programme, noted the significant progress Barbados has made in raising awareness and reducing stigma around breast cancer. She stressed the importance of turning awareness into action, urging Barbadians to prioritize screenings. Hanoman-Jhagroo also introduced the programme’s new $1 million mammogram machine, designed to provide more comfortable screenings for both women and men. She acknowledged the collective effort of Corporate Barbados and the broader community in making these advancements possible.

Emmanuel Bria, a Barbadian entrepreneur and representative of Summus Barbados, recently shared his transformative journey into the medicinal cannabis industry during the Cannabliss SVG 2025 conference in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Standing amidst rows of meticulously cultivated cannabis plants at CannaSVG, the region’s largest licensed farm, Bria reflected on his evolving perspective. Initially skeptical about medicinal cannabis, he now champions its potential, provided it is grown and processed under stringent quality controls.

Bria emphasized that cannabis, inherently a medicinal plant, can become harmful if cultivated in toxic environments. ‘The plant absorbs everything in its surroundings,’ he explained. ‘If it’s exposed to contaminants like bacteria, fungi, or toxic elements, it’s no longer medicinal—it’s a time bomb.’ This realization reshaped his understanding of the industry, highlighting the critical need for rigorous testing and sterile cultivation practices to ensure safety and efficacy.

During the conference, Bria engaged with cultivators, manufacturers, and retailers, gaining firsthand insights into the discipline required to build a legitimate medicinal cannabis sector. He stressed that the industry’s primary focus should be on healing and addressing the needs of individuals suffering from chronic pain, post-surgery discomfort, and anxiety. ‘It’s about introducing a clean, safe, and fully organic product into the market,’ he said. ‘Consistent testing and quality assurance are non-negotiable.’

Bria’s journey was as much personal as professional. He admitted to unlearning preconceived notions and relearning the science behind medicinal cannabis. Now, his mission is to educate others in Barbados about its potential and the opportunities it presents. ‘We’re moving forward,’ he said optimistically. ‘It’s about healing people, and we’re going to fix the challenges along the way.’

His story underscores the growing importance of quality control and education in the burgeoning medicinal cannabis industry, as it strives to balance therapeutic benefits with public trust and safety.

Barbados is on track to become the 12th Caribbean nation to achieve official recognition for eliminating mother-to-child transmission of HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis B by the end of 2025. This milestone follows a pre-assessment conducted by the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO), which highlighted significant progress and dedication across the island’s healthcare system. The certification process, expected to conclude by year-end, mirrors successful efforts in Belize, Jamaica, and St Vincent and the Grenadines in 2024. Cuba set the precedent a decade ago as the first country globally to eliminate both HIV and syphilis transmission from mother to child. Last week, a PAHO team, accompanied by a regional laboratory expert, collaborated with Barbados’ national health team to conduct a comprehensive pre-assessment. The review, designed to identify gaps and challenges, included visits to key health facilities such as the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, polyclinics, and private medical centers. The delegation evaluated services for pregnant and lactating women, inspected laboratories, and reviewed HIV services, maternal and child clinics, vaccination programs, and disease surveillance systems. Dr. Amalia Del Riego, PAHO/WHO Representative for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean Countries, emphasized the significance of this achievement, stating that it reflects the strength of Barbados’ HIV and maternal health services and its commitment to ensuring every child has a healthy start in life. PAHO’s support aims to strengthen health systems, promote health equity, and prevent missed opportunities for disease prevention. WHO certification confirms a country’s ability to deliver high-quality, accessible care to pregnant women and newborns, safeguarding them from HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis B transmission.

In a significant move to address healthcare accessibility, the Barbados Cancer Society’s Breast Screening Programme has introduced free mammograms for patients at polyclinics across the island who cannot afford the service. This initiative, announced by Dr. Shirley Hanoman-Jhagroo, the Medical Coordinator of the Programme, follows recent donations that have made this life-saving service possible. The announcement was made during the CIBC Walk for the Cure event at Warrens on Sunday. Dr. Hanoman-Jhagroo emphasized that financial barriers have long prevented many women from accessing essential breast screenings, a concern that prompted the launch of this programme. ‘There are no free mammograms on the island, and that has always been a concern,’ she stated. ‘Many women feel they cannot approach the Cancer Society for help, so they remain untreated.’ The programme has now allocated free mammograms to ten polyclinics, with each facility receiving ten screenings initially. Nurses at these clinics will identify and assist patients who cannot afford the service, ensuring broader access to early detection. In addition to this initiative, Dr. Hanoman-Jhagroo highlighted improvements in cancer care services at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH). The Oncology Department, which previously could only treat six patients daily, will soon expand its capacity to 14 patients per day, thanks to the donation of seven new chairs. This expansion is expected to reduce the chemotherapy waiting list from two and a half months to just two weeks, significantly improving patient outcomes. Dr. Hanoman-Jhagroo expressed optimism about the impact of these changes, stating, ‘These improvements will make a real difference for patients who are already dealing with the stress of a cancer diagnosis.’

Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) has announced a groundbreaking initiative to transition from paper-based patient files to secure electronic medical records accessible via mobile phones. This digital overhaul, unveiled on the hospital’s weekly Pulse Radio Show, aims to enhance healthcare efficiency, security, and patient accessibility. Dr. Christine Greenidge, Chief Operations Officer at QEH, detailed the plan, emphasizing its potential to revolutionize patient care. ‘We are working on our digital transformation, where patients will soon be able to access their medical records directly on their mobile devices using a private password,’ she explained. The system will also enable patients to safely share their records with private physicians, particularly beneficial for those traveling abroad. Dr. Greenidge highlighted the importance of supporting elderly patients or those less familiar with technology, suggesting that family members or next of kin assist in navigating the system. Public education programs will be rolled out to ensure widespread adoption. The initiative has already seen progress with the introduction of self-registration in the Accident and Emergency (A&E) department, a move Dr. Greenidge likened to the modernization of immigration services. ‘Just as passport control has become more efficient, our A&E services are now more timely and digital,’ she noted. This transformation is expected to streamline healthcare delivery, reduce paperwork, and improve overall patient experience.