b'Introduction to the Report(Contd)health stations to share information on COVID-19 andPublicHealthLaboratory(NPHL)wasabletojointesting.TheGovernmentofJamaicasupported to prevent community spread of the virus.forces.Thesetwocentreswereinitiallytheonlythis project through the Chase Fund, to the tune of approvedsitesforCOVID-19testingintheisland.JMD$40m. These laboratories can now be used in Supporting National Testing FacilitiesTesting continues in the Department of Microbiologythedetectionofotherpathogensthuseventually The Department of Microbiology through the Nationalled by Professor Monika Smikle, the NIC Director, withexpanding the diagnostic services of the Department Influenza Centre (NIC), which it houses and manages,a 24-hour turnaround time and markedly increasedand positioning it to be a beacon in the region. hasbeenplayingasignificantroleinthenationalthroughput. The agileresponse of the Department responsetothepandemic,especiallyintheareato this challenge led to the refurbishing/retrofittingTheInternationalCentreforEnvironmentaland of testing. The early detection of SARS CoV2 in theand equipping of the Molecular Laboratory as wellNuclear Sciences (ICENS) also brokered a deal with island was done in this Department and testing wasas a BSL 3 laboratory in the Department to facilitatethe International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to help continued here as the sole centre, until the NationalJamaicasresponsetothedemandforCOVID-19fight against the coronavirus in Jamaica. The Agency donated two (2) RT-PCR machines and 2000 test kits. 20 Design of a Low-Cost Patient21Monitoring System FinalYearEngineeringstudentDanelleJulal, designedandbuiltalow-costelectronicspatient monitoring system (LCEPMS) capable of monitoring thetemperature,heartrate,bloodpressureand position of upright or laying patients.These systems are generally expensive and only well-funded health centrescanaffordthem.Thesystemconsisted ofwirelessmonitoringdevices(WMD)thatwhen attached to a patient, transmits and records data to a central web server (CWS). Thresholds can be set for all the conditions being monitored and an emailDemonstration of the Low-Cost Patient Monitoring Systemis sent to a doctor or nurse if a limit is exceeded.The entire system was designed with the capability of being scaled for use on hundreds of patients located in multiple rooms. sub-committee meetings since April 2020.In June 2020,theypreparedapaperontheParlAmericas Student LeadershipResponsetotheCOVID-19pandemicwhichwas From left to right: Dr. Varough Deyde: Director, Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Caribbean Regional Office;InresponsetotheCOVID-19pandemic,thepresented at a Standing Order Committee meeting to Dr Michelle Hamilton: Director of the National Public Health Laboratory; Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton: Minister of HealthParliamentary Interns of the Department of Governmentdiscuss amendments to the Standing Orders in order and Wellness; Senator the Hon. Kamina Johnson-Smith: Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade; Donald Tapia: U.S.(DGOV)havebeenvirtuallyattendingParliamentaryto facilitate/recognize virtual meetings.Ambassador to Jamaica and Charles Grant: Director General ICENS.ANNUAL REPORT 2019/20 Realigning our Resources with Resilience and Resourcefulness'