THE MEDICAL team at the World Junior Championships has had three days of hectic activity.
At least 150 people have been treated at medical stations set up at the National Stadium since the meet started on Tuesday.
Chairman of the medical committee of the local organisers Kingston 2002, Dr Marion Bullock-Ducasse, said they had treated a variety of illnesses and injuries ranging from viral illnesses to the exacerbation of chronic diseases that persons would have had before.
However, she noted that most of the athletes were suffering muscle and joint injuries after lengthy track and field events. Those persons with acute injuries were transferred to the University Hospital of the West Indies for further treatment.
Dr. Bullock-Ducasse said many persons, including athletes, had difficulty coping with the humidity and turned up at the stations suffering from dehydration, heat exhaustion and sunburn.
She has advised athletes and spectators to drink lots of water or other liquids to ensure they were well hydrated.
"Some of our visitors are understandably sunbathing so we have to advise them not to do so in the middle of the day. If you are in the sun then use sun-screen or sun blocks," she added.
The emergency medical station is located on level one of the National Stadium where there is a team of medical doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, massage therapists and a doping control room. Medical stations are also located at level two and at Stadium East, the warm-up and training area for competing athletes.
There are also medical stations at the Jamaica Pegasus and Courtleigh Hotels while the designated championships hospitals are the University Hospital and the Bustamante Hospital for Children.
