Month: April 2020

A second person has died from Covid-19 in Monaco. Meanwhile, the Principality’s Minister of State has fully recovered from the virus.
The death was revealed on Saturday 4^th April. “The Prince’s Government wishes to show the family of this person their full support during these trying times,” the government said in a statement. “This is a moment of great sadness which demonstrates the importance of remaining fully mobilised while respecting the health precaution rules laid down by the Prince’s Government.”
The government also confirmed seven new positive cases of Covid-19 in the Principality on Sunday, bringing the number of people affected by the coronavirus to 73. This includes three patients who are now cured – the last of which is the Minister of State, Serge Telle, who was diagnosed on 16^th March. According to health authorities, 15 people remain hospitalised, and four of these are in intensive care.
Only patients with severe symptoms of Covid-19 are hospitalised in Monaco, while people with few symptoms are advised to confine themselves at home while being followed medically. To date, 106 patients are being monitored by the appropriate health units.
 
 

Now more than ever, health is at the forefront of everyone’s minds. On 7^th April, we have an opportunity to thank the nurses and midwives of the Principality during World Health Day 2020.
“Nurses and midwives help us live in a happier, healthier world,” says the World Health Organisation (WHO), sponsors of World Health Day 2020 in this International Year of the Nurse and the Midwife.
Working at the forefront of Covid-19 epidemic response teams, nurses are, amongst other vital tasks, providing respectful treatment and care, addressing patient fears and questions and collecting data for clinical studies. Their dedication and selflessness often goes unnoticed, but without them, the medical world would be in turmoil.
The International Year of the Nurse and the Midwife has been created to showcase all the things nurses and midwives do, as well as highlight the current status of nursing globally.
In order to do this, World Health Day 2020 will see the launch of the first-ever State of the World’s Nursing Report. The report will cover the big picture regarding the nursing workforce and ways to optimise their contributions to improve health overall worldwide. It will also set out the plan for the future that will include data collection, research, advocacy, policy dialogue and investment. The complementary midwifery report is due out in 2021.
To achieve the ambitious WHO national and global targets related to universal health coverage, maternal and child health, infectious and non-communicable diseases including mental health, emergency preparedness and response, patient safety and the delivery of integrated, people-centred care, nurse and midwife support is necessary.
World Health Day is a global awareness campaign celebrated every year on 7^th April under the sponsorship of the World Health Organisation since 1948. Each year it highlights a specific health theme to make it a topic of priority and to raise public awareness of all that is being done to keep the population well.
 
 

Monaco’s support workers caring for the most vulnerable in the community are making heroic efforts to maintain vital ties to the elderly and disabled, whilst trying to remain safe themselves during the crisis.

Confinement is difficult under the best of situations, but when a person is elderly or disabled, the need for reassurance and assistance is paramount to survival.

The Union of Monegasque Businesses for Home Help and Support (SEMAAD), an association of five companies dedicated to helping those most vulnerable in the community, provide the services that ensure this at-risk segment of the population is well taken care of.

In taking care of these necessary visits and aid, they are putting themselves on the front lines seven days a week, as their brethren in the medical field are also doing each day.  

These workers face serious organisational constraints. They must adhere to lockdown rules whilst still providing services that normally require close personal contact. To manage this balancing act, they are equipped with gloves, masks and other necessary materials to ensure the health and safety of both themselves and those they care for.

They are also using clever ways to get around practical problems such as transport issues. They have been utilising the free services offered by Monaco Taxi, GIE Les Limousines and the free car parks to keep the system running smoothly.

The workers not only bring food and medicines to their charges, they also provide emotional support, providing perhaps the only social link to the outside world many of these people have.  

If you or someone you know is in need of such assistance, contact Dimension Santé via email on mabalain@agence-dimension.com.