Pharmacy ventilation fails to extract chemo med fumes
(CNS) The Health Services Authority (HSA) has launched an independent investigation into a ventilation issue at the pharmacy in the HSA hospital in George Town. Preliminary findings indicate that the equipment used to extract fumes during the preparation of chemotherapy medications was not connected to the external ventilation system as intended, according to a release from the HSA. This may have resulted in fumes accumulating within the area over a period of time.
The pharmacy at the HSA hospital was closed immediately to facilitate the investigation and will reopen when it can be confirmed that the environment is safe to resume operation.
The main pharmacy at the Smith Road Medical Centre remains fully operational. Its opening hours are Monday to Friday, 8:00am to 9:00pm, and Saturdays, Sundays and Public Holidays from 9:00am to 5:00pm. Prescriptions may also be processed at our district health centres.
“Our highest priority is the health and safety of our staff and patients,” said HSA CEO Lizzette Yearwood. “We are giving this matter our full attention and are taking all necessary steps to investigate the issue thoroughly and transparently.”
Staff have been notified directly, and occupational health and safety support is available for any employees who have concerns. The HSA has also partnered with an external expert to ensure the integrity of the investigation and any future remediation steps.
Deputy CEO Dr Vinton Douglas said, “While we await the findings from the investigation, we are committed to ensuring our staff are safe, supported and offered appropriate care.”
The HSA apologised for any disruption caused by the temporary closure of the hospital’s pharmacy and said it remains committed to the continuity of care and access to essential medications.
Officials said that further updates will be provided to the public as information becomes available.
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Category: Health, Medical Health
Nobody seem to care, based on the number of comments, until someone is diagnosed with cancer or a child is born with congenital abnormalities or a “rare” disease. Then they scream for compassion, fundraisers are running, and my “favorite” AWARENESS campaigns are in a full force.
I have yet to see a single civil protest in Cayman. Cayman lives with antiquated laws, totally dismissing the 24×7 assault on health and safety on its every resident and visitor- indoor, outdoor, everywhere!
Not even the murder of the AML head has caused an outrage from the Cayman residents. Live goes on as usual.
This is all legal under the currently void Cayman code that ASHRAE dictates in other countries. Most HVAC companies in Cayman do what they want. There are numerous instances here where HVAC companies have caused chronic and acute illnesses due to their negligence, some even with the chemicals they use to clean heat exchanger coils, but cases are difficult to prosecute without proper codes and licensing. DEH has rudimentary capability to perform air quality testing and most incidents go unreported.
The HVAC industry is essentially a free for all, and requires immediate strict licensing and regulation.
So many questions. Did the firm that installed the system not realize it wasn’t actually connected to an external vent – and how can you not if thats your line of trade? Closely followed by who exactly were these people and how was that job tendered. And if these fumes are toxic what form of filtration was in place before they were (meant to be) pushed out into the open air outside the hospital? What recourse do the employees of the pharmacy have against the hospital for failing to properly ventilate their workplace whilst requiring them to work with toxic chemicals? Will the findings of the investigation be made public? And the $64000 question, how long before simply pretending it never happened, quietly shelving the “investigation”, and holding no one responsible? I reckon in the absence of continued questioning from the media, about one week if not less.
Excellent questions. Every single one myst be answered.
When you ask anyone what regulations or guidelines are being followed with regard to all the little medical waste incinerators all over the island – given that the Department of Environmental Health’s Regulations are antiquated and about 30 years old – they simply say they’re following the US EPA (Environmental Protection Act) whose Medical Waste Tracking Act expired in 1991!!
So the answer is NOBODY is regulating anything. We have dozens of little clinics here doing all kinds of extractions and removals – all with small MWIs chugging carcinogens and god knows what else into our air with zero oversight or any authority that has any equipment to even measure or monitor it. Add that to our dump and what you have is a tiny, toxic island that our Government thinks is perfectly fit to promote MEDICAL TOURISM. Can’t make this s#/+ up.
And by the way, the proposed WTE (‘Waste to energy’ landfill project) was going to have a medical waste incinerator as part and parcel of their facility. I guess they were just going to follow their own ‘best practices’ while being monitored by nobody.
Isn’t this criminal? Criminal negligence? Willful disregard, a deliberate and intentional failure to act?
Aren’t law professional in Cayman concerned with their own wellbeing? Why are they silent?
Not only Caymanians die from cancer, expats as well, even those who only spent few years in Cayman.
Not only Caymanian kids are being born with congenital conditions, expat’s children as well.
I can’t believe this $hit hole island is being promoted for rich and famous.
I can’t believe Cayman residents don’t care. They love fund raisers for all kind of diseases and conditions but do nothing to demand the change, the 21st century health and safety regulations.
How quickly the article about the fumes has disappeared from the Compass front page.
…the equipment used to extract fumes during the preparation of chemotherapy medications was not connected to the EXTERNAL ventilation system as intended…
⛔️THAT IS SCARY
because if the fumes are dispersed from the hood via ducts into the outside atmosphere who guarantees it is at acceptably low concentration? And what is acceptable in the absence of regulations? Who is measuring the concentration?
The dispersed fumes will just mix with the fumes from the dump. Nobody will ever notice
I love how it is suddenly the “HSA hospital in George Town” now. How poetic that it too is filled with toxic fumes in his memory.
Cayman still lives in the Stone Age with the Stone Age regulations (none), stone age mentality and the Stone Age intellect.
In Bermuda, the regulation of chemotherapy medicine compounds and handling is guided by the Bermuda National Cancer Control Plan and the Bermuda Health Council (Drug Formulary) Regulations 2021.
Pharmacies mixing chemotherapy ingredients must adhere to strict regulations (none exists in the CI‼️) to ensure the safety of both patients and personnel.
These regulations ( in other countries) mandates specific standards for compounding hazardous drugs, including the use of negative-pressure environments (creates an inward airflow, preventing contaminants and pathogens from escaping the room and potentially infecting people or objects outside), specialized equipment like C-PECs and C-SECs, and rigorous environmental monitoring. Additionally, personal protective equipment (PPE) is crucial, and proper training is required for all personnel involved in handling chemotherapy
Several countries, including 🇰🇾The Cayman Islands, lack comprehensive regulations for the management of hazardous materials in healthcare settings, particularly concerning healthcare waste (HCW) disposal.
These nations often rely on outdated methods like open dumping, incineration without proper technology, or storage in pits mixed with municipal waste. This poses significant risks to both the health of healthcare workers and the environment.
Some African countries, including Ethiopia, Botswana, Nigeria, and Algeria, lack national guidelines for proper HCW disposal.
Indonesia has no government regulation for new chemical substances
While some ASEAN nations like Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam have HCWM infrastructure, they lack specific regulations for pharmaceutical waste (PWM).
Many developing countries, including 🇰🇾The Cayman Islands, lack the necessary infrastructure and funding for modern HCW management practices.
Approximately 2,000 to 2,500 new chemicals are introduced into commerce each year.
Norway, Switzerland, and Iceland are known for having some of the most strict use of chemicals.
it’s 2025 and yet, absurdastan still.
Now lets talk about the condition of the vents in the patients rooms when was the last time they were cleaned.
Never
Vents must be replaced every 15 years. Residential and commercial. Proper Cleaning is impossible
✅A properly installed set of air ducts should last 10 to 15 years before you need to consider replacement.
✅40-year-old ductwork is likely beyond its useful lifespan and should be seriously considered for replacement.
✅Over time, ductwork can develop leaks, gaps, and even collapse in sections, impacting airflow and efficiency, its insulation would most certainly deteriorate.
This is mind boggling! Criminal negligence! Someone’s head must roll
Our highest priority is the health and safety
Our highest priority is the health and safety
Our highest priority is the health and safety
Still no legislation regulating hazardous medical waste storage, handling, transportation and disposal. In fact they are not even aware that such regulations must be in place before opening any medical facility or office, including dental, veterinary or even skin care.
Still no radiation safety act! God knows where people and employees get regularly exposed to radiation, yet new medical facilities using radiation keep popping up.
I suspect that there is no basic understanding of what health and safety means when it comes to healthcare, animal care, pharmacies, etc.
I suspect there are no specialists, zero, nada who are trained, has experience with monitoring and enforcing non- existing health and safety regulations.
I suspect that every medical and health facility would be closed if a proper safety inspection was conducted.
I suspect that nobody ever conducts any inspections at Health City facilities and I guarantee the list of safety violations would be extensive.
Someone from the UK must step in and use the UK standards, rules and regulations to conduct the inspections, for The Cayman Islands is still in the stone age when it comes to public and employees safety at health, medical and other facilities that use materials hazardous to people, animals and environment.
Don’t forget about the Dump where some materials are simply burned in the dilapidated incinerators with no monitoring whatsoever. They don’t even know what needs to be monitored, how and to what standards.
Mr. Eden thinks fumes are gay and refuses to release them into the public where it will do something to our children .
Anthony Eden is the perfect name for this hospital. He was useless too.
Ten Thousand Likes!!!!!!
another fine mess by cig and the civil service…..
time for more awards franzie!