BY MAVIS N PODOKOLO
THE National Referral Hospital has the testing machines and treatment for blood clotting, a side effect of the COVID-19 vaccine, says Dr Yogesh Choudhri.
Choudrhi, senior advisor to Ministry of Health confirmed this at the Ministry‘s radio talkback about the COVID-19 vaccine on the Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation (SIBC).
“For blood clotting we have already got the testing machines and the treatment for clothing at the National Referral Hospital because we are worried about the side effects. We do not want any life lose because of the vaccinations.
“So we have to make sure there are treatments and appropriate management can be done,” he said.
Choudhri said the ministry is “pretty confident” that National Referral Hospital can handle any side effects that will be presented by the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.
“We did it for AstraZeneca vaccine, Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine we are rolling out we are pretty confident NRH can handle it but in the provinces we will ensure there are appropriate trained team and medicines available to manage the pericarditis and mericaditis.
“For provinces if any person presents these systems will be referred to NRH. But right now we don’t have the treatment and machine in our provinces,” he said.
Choudhri adds, “with Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine if administered yes we are expecting five to six cases of pericarditis and mericaditis this is more reported in young adults”.
He admits that all vaccines have side effects and clotting is one of them.
“And for Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine if administered we are expecting five to six cases of pericarditis (swelling and irritation of the thin, saclike tissue surrounding your heart) and myocarditis (an inflammation of the heart muscle) this is more reported in young adults”.
“Pericarditis and myocarditis following the vaccination will require supportive treatment it doesn’t require any particular treatment,” Choudhri said.
He said usually the presenting symptoms will be just chest pain, construction of the chest or increase heart rate so these could be the side effects leading to pericarditis and mericaditis.
“We have trained the people on these side effects on how to manage. We have person who is responsible for managing the side effects.
“Before we will roll out to the provinces we will ensure that the treatment and health workers who trained to manage pericarditis and mericaditis are there,” Choudhri mentioned.
