Pictured at the Thursday press conference at the Ministry of Health on Meeting Street are from left Ernestine Flowers, Nursing Officer II with responsibility for the Disease Surveillance Unit; Dr. Pearl McMillan, Director of Public Health; Dr. Glen Beneby, Chief Medical Officer; Charlene Bain, Administrator of Community Health Services; and Michael Swann, Senior Manager in the Water Quality Unit at the Water and Sewerage Corporation.
(Nassau, Bahamas) – Advising that health investigations began in Marathon as early as Monday (4th May 2015) and was only interrupted by inclement weather on Tuesday, Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr. Glen Beneby told the public that the government will “leave no stone unturned” in assisting residents of Marathon impacted by the fuel spill at a Rubis service station on Robinson Road.
“The Ministry of Health and the Department of Health take this as a very serious responsibility…we maintain the confidentiality, the compassion and the sensitivity necessary for the residents in Marathon” said the CMO as he addressed the media at the Ministry of Health headquarters on Thursday morning pointing out that officers from the Ministry of Health, the Department of Environmental Health Services and the Water and Sewerage Corporation canvassed the community of Marathon as a first step in the health screening protocol. Outlining the additional steps to be taken in this screening protocol was Sharlene Bain, community clinics administrator within the Ministry of Health.
“We will begin examination and laboratory testing of persons impacted whether through findings from the epidemiological data or for persons who have present and past medical histories which might be related to the issues.
“Thirdly, plans are underway to open our clinics on the weekend to facilitate the needs of the residents impacted and the department will announce the clinics or clinic.”
The CMO reiterated a previous call for all residents in the affected areas who use private wells as their water source, to deactivate them and transfer their water supply to the public water supply system.
Speaking specifically about the testing of the public water supply in the area was Hydrologist Michael Swann from the Water and Sewerage Corporation who confirmed that his department has tested the public water in the Marathon community and confirmed the potability of the public water supply.
Thirteen homes have been canvassed thus far and Dr. Beneby indicated that the compilation and analysis of health related data from residents will be available by the end of June.
