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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
Shereen Dawkins Cox JP, MA, Bpharm, Dip Pharm President, BSEC
Happy New Year to the Executive and members of the Bioethics Society of the English-Speaking Caribbean. It is 2022, and we are still discussing the end of the COVID-19 pandemic. The discussions have changed from the inequity of vaccine access between high and low-income countries to how many boosters will make a real difference. Vaccine passports are no longer a debate but have been enforced in many countries. In the region, countries' leaders are adamant that we need to improve the percentage of vaccinated compared to unvaccinated. As such, discussions on mandatory vaccinations continue. The world has become so COVIDfocused that we can rarely turn on the news or go on our favourite social media pages without receiving information on COVID. The Executive of BSEC decided to join in the conversation but differently. We focused on our health care workers and policymakers across the region. Those on the frontline. Those who have to face the challenges daily that we as academicians can only debate and publish articles. They know the stress of deciding who should receive treatment and who should be sent home. This was the motivation for the theme of our annual forum: Moral Distress on the frontline: COVID-19 in the Caribbean. This was held virtually on November 28, 2021. We had a historical turnout of over 100 doctors, pharmacists, nurses, psychologists, and ethicists. It was a very moving seminar. The Chief Medical Officer of St. Lucia, Dr Belmar George, reflected on how difficult it was for her to make decisions to keep schools closed on realizing that school was a safe haven for many children; protecting them from unwanted pregnancies, crime, and providing many with a daily meal. The social impact of lockdowns was very real to her. Yet, she had to create a balance between public health and social needs as a policymaker. Dr. Jennifer Solomon of Grenada shared a story of a nurse who felt remorse for not giving the standard of care that she knows should be given to her patients, simply because of the limited resources available. She shared pictures of the faces of nurses who had the imprint of the facemasks that they had to wear all the time while delivering care. A pharmacist from Jamaica shared her struggle with losing a patient because she hesitated to recommend a product off-label that she thought might have made a difference. The moral residue of that situation left her with sleepless nights. Moral distress and moral residue are challenges frontline workers have to overcome. Executive member and psychologist Dr. Mike Campbell of Barbados gave some handy tips on managing these challenges to avoid depression and burnout. He emphasized relaxation techniques, religious/spiritual practices, adequate sleep, regular exercise, healthy eating, allowing emotional expression regularly, taking breaks, counseling, and selfcare practices. As we journey into 2022, let us take the tips from this webinar and practice more self -care. Take a break, breathe deeply, laugh a little or a lot, and rest. Going forward at the end of each day, reflect on the day, take a moment to inhale and exhale, do it now, and appreciate that breath. COVID-19 is one part of our lives. We cannot allow it to consume us to forget the beautiful things still happening around us. I wish you a year of self-care. Shereen Dawkins Cox President
