Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Kenneth George addressing the opening of the International Association for Hospice & Palliative Care workshop.
Dr. George also shared with the participants representing Grenada, Guyana, Cayman Islands, Curacao, Belize, among others that Barbados is happy to report that there is a wide selection of narcotics and opiates available on the Barbados Drug Formulary. He said that in addition, the Barbados Drug Service is the recognised import and export agency for opioids for many Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States countries including Grenada, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Monserrat.
“We are therefore able to ensure a reliable, timely and quality supply of opioids in the region. In doing so it is also important to expand the range of quality opioids and narcotics to include trans-dermal patches and patient supported infusions pumps.”
The CMO also observed that the theme of World Hospice and Palliative Care Day 2016 “Living and Dying in Pain: It doesn’t have to happen” is very appropriate as up to 75 per cent of the world population does not have adequate access to controlled medications for pain relief.
“I am therefore sure that one of the outcomes of this workshop will be to examine the barriers to appropriate pain management in detail which in many jurisdictions may include lack of appropriate legislative and regulatory frameworks, limited training in pain management, misconceptions on the part of the care-giver, the patient and the relatives and prohibitive pricing of pharmaceuticals,” he pointed out.