Norman Manley airport, Jamaica gets fever machines as Gov’t preps ports for Ebola

Health Minister Dr Fenton Ferguson (right), observes while Acting Chief Medical Officer Dr Marion Bullock DuCasse demonstrates to medical staff and officials at the Norman Manley International Airport, Friday, how a hand-held fever temperature machine works. (Photo: JIS)

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Medical staff at the Norman Manley International Airport on Friday received two fever machines, with another 20 expected in the island within two weeks.

The machines were presented by Health Minister Fenton Ferguson as the Government ramps up Ebola preparation at the nation’s ports. Two other fever machines are expected to be delivered to another port of entry.

“We have now moved to the next step, which is to ensure we have [an] isolation area at the airport, to ensure that we will be able to respond to a possible threat of the Ebola virus,” Ferguson told reporters, following the handing over.

The minister expressed confidence that Jamaica is doing all that it can to protect the country from Ebola. He emphasised that he is working to equip all the ports of entry with the fever temperature machines, especially a walk-through machine, as it is one sure way to detect any threat of the virus.

“We should have no less than 20 of these machines. There is good indication from one corporate entity that they would contribute one of those,” the minister said “and we are talking to other corporate entities.”

He said: “Where you have high volume of persons coming in, like a cruise ship, you want to have a machine that persons can walk through, and that is our top priority,” Ferguson added.‏